Fashion & Masters - Perfumed Gloves and Jasmine Fields

Perfumed Gloves and Jasmine Fields: How France Become a Fragrance Capital

Join us for an evening of art and fragrance! This lecture and interactive session led by art historian and fragrance writer Jessica Murphy will focus on France’s rise to prominence as a center of Western perfumery.

The phrase “French perfume” evokes luxury, quality, and sensuality. But how did that association come to be? France’s ascendance as a site of fragrance production from the sixteenth century through the nineteenth century was due to a very specific blend of patronage and politics, as well as a timely mix of trade, technology, and terroir. This lecture will trace the unique chain of events and individuals that ensured the success of perfumery’s specialized craft within French culture and society, from the “Sun King” to the Guerlain family.

For the second half of the event, we’ll look closely at several French paintings from the Timken’s collection and pair them with scent, enhancing our visual experience through the sense of smell.

Charcuterie & Wine with Dessert Intermission

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