Editor Reviews: Book Description: This thought-provoking volume transports readers to France of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, beginning with Napoleon's love of perfume and the erotic importance he attached to it, through the lore and symbolism fragrance enjoyed in eighteenth and nineteenth-century Europe. By the early twentieth century, perfume's place as one of France's most important luxury industries was recognized and celebrated, and timeless fragrances—such as Chanel No. 5, Shalimar, Arpeges, and Joy—were launched. The distinctive bottles for these new essences and the art movements that inspired their design are detailed throughout the book, as are paintings, poetry, and literature that reveal the power of perfume and its ability to recall the past and evoke sensuality. According to nineteenth-century perfumer Eugene Rimmel, "the history of perfume is, in some manner, the history of civilization." Through fascinating text accompanied by gorgeous imagery, including packaging, labels, and advertisements, Perfume: Joy, Scandal, Sin explores perfume's impact on history, culture, society, art, and attitudes.
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Perfume: Joy, Scandal, Sin - A Cultural History of Fragrance from 1750 to the Present Customer Reviews:Average Rating:  Rating : - Outstanding resource on the history of perfume This giant book is a wealth of information, not just about perfume but about the position perfumes have taken in cultural history. Special attention is given to perfume in literature (especially Baudelaire) and the illustrations are fantastic. This is not just a surface-treatment coffee-table book, it is dense with information on every facet of perfumery and goes into great detail regarding the creation and significance of many specific perfumes. Well-researched and beautifully written, it is a must for any serious collector or fan of the olfactive arts. See Full Customer Review |