Elisa Mastronardi in a spot for the new Eau de Toilette concentration of Bvlgari Rose Goldea Blossom Delight.
A fragrant atmosphere
The fragrance that has been created by IFF to accompany the portrait is a typical formula for a pomander from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It includes nutmeg, cloves, rosemary, cinnamon, rose, ambergris (produced in the bowels of the sperm whale), and civet (produced in the perineal glands of the civet cat). Certain ingredients were expensive, as nutmeg and cloves were imported from south-east Asia, and ambergris was very rare. The pomander in Besserer’s portrait creates a fragrant atmosphere for his worship, and it magnifies his status through the precious ingredients.
— Follow Your Nose: a Guided Tour with Smells is now open at Museum Ulm in Germany; the pomander scent was created for Portrait of Eitel Besserer. Read more in NOW OPEN: Follow your Nose at Museum Ulm at Odeuropa.
Paint me a paradise
A spot for Eau de Rochas.
Strong odor of turpentine and myrrh
To truly comprehend the nuanced role smell played in past centuries, look no further than the funeral ceremonies of ancient Rome. When, in 1485, construction workers accidentally stumbled upon a Roman citizen’s grave while working on the Via Appia, they were amazed by the “strong odor of turpentine and myrrh” preserved inside the sarcophagus, alongside subtle hints of frankincense, aloe, and cedar oil.
— Read more in The foul and the fragrant: what did the past smell like? at Big Think.
The East End boys and West End girls
Adwoa Aboah, Willem Dafoe, Precious Lee, Dame Joan Collins, Lola Leon, Unknown T and more for Calvin Klein CK1 Palace. (Over 5 minutes.)