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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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"...heady and dense..." -- 11/18/06 NATIONAL POST
"It's a welcome addition to the literature on this subject...Perfume is a deeply researched and eloquently written book...the illustrations in Perfume are abundant and dazzling...this lush, large-format book will appeal to fans of perfume as well as to readers of cultural studies." -- Feb07 BLOOMSBURY REVIEW
"provides an in-depth account and plenty of eye-candy to chronicle the storied past..." -- 12/14/06 AUSTIN AMERICAN -STATESMAN
...a lavish production and a monumental work of archival research. -- 01/10/07 TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
-- "384 pages of fascinating lore, cultural commentary and color photos offer months of reading and perusal. " -- 12/18 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
"It's a welcome addition to the literature on this subject...Perfume is a deeply researched and eloquently written book...the illustrations in Perfume are abundant and dazzling...this lush, large-format book will appeal to fans of perfume as well as to readers of cultural studies." -- Feb07 BLOOMSBURY REVIEW
"provides an in-depth account and plenty of eye-candy to chronicle the storied past..." -- 12/14/06 AUSTIN AMERICAN -STATESMAN
...a lavish production and a monumental work of archival research. -- 01/10/07 TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
-- "384 pages of fascinating lore, cultural commentary and color photos offer months of reading and perusal. " -- 12/18 PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
About the Author
Richard Stamelman is a professor of romance languages at Dartmouth College. He is an honorary member of the Société Française des Parfumeurs and winner of a John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. Jacques Polge is the master perfume designer for Chanel and the creator of Allure, Coco Mademoiselle, Chance, and Egoiste.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding resource on the history of perfume,
By Memory & Desire "Heather" (Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Perfume: Joy, Scandal, Sin - A Cultural History of Fragrance from 1750 to the Present (Hardcover)
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.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb Book on Perfume Bottles,
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This review is from: Perfume: Joy, Scandal, Sin - A Cultural History of Fragrance from 1750 to the Present (Hardcover)
Defenitely a must have for any collector of beautiful things, not to mention collectors of antique/ vintage perfume bottles. Detailed photographs, excellent descriptions & wonderful examples of the most interestingly unique perfume bottles as a true art piece. Highly recommend to anyone who apreciates beauty.
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