by Silvia Manzoni. Illustrations and photographs by Antonella Ignacia Ramos Panace for I’M Firenze Digest.
Can we still wear a 16th-century perfume today? Old fragrances are never been so lively as today. This was the challenge presented to three famous perfumers by the Osmothèque in Versailles. The Osmothèque is the first and only perfume conservatory in the world, a unique place featuring a collection of 4,000 fragrances, including 800 ancient and vanished ones. The task was to recreate Acqua Arabesca, an old fragrance that was very popular in the Republic of Venice in the 16th century, with a modern twist. What did this scented Eau contain? The ingredients of this old fragrance were mainly imported from the East, where perfuming techniques were already advanced.
Spices, such as nutmeg, sandalwood, cedar, musk (not today’s synthetic versions, but a strong-smelling type obtained from the gland of wild goats, which are now protected), and amber. Many of these raw materials, as mentioned, reached Venice by following the routes of the mude, or naval caravans loaded with precious products from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, which got to the great European cities from the Serenissima. The muschieri – that was the name given to the guild that produced perfumes in Venice-began thus to make their art known beyond the borders, thanks to the great interest in body care that began to take hold in European courts.
The first cosmetics handbook, long before TikTok
The practice of using perfumes, creams and cosmetics was also supported by printing, of wich Venice was then one of the great capitals. In 1555, the first-ever cosmetics handbook, Notandissimi Secreti de l’arte profumatoria, was published by Giovanventura Rosetti. The book is considered a significant contribution to the history of cosmetics and is still available today in a reprinted version.
The book is not only a kind of guide on how to make cosmetic remedies using fragrant substances but also a veritable handbook on how to apply these preparations, with recipes and tips. It talks about Cyprus powder (the ancestor of face powder) and scented waters with macerated flowers used to smooth the skin. The author addresses his female readers, and not only aristocrats, in a familiar and easy-to-understand language similar to that used by modern Tiktokers.
Why one of the most heady old fragrances is Acqua Arabesca
It’s a perfumers’ challenge. But let us return to the old fragrance Acqua Arabesca, whose formula comes from the book mentioned above. The three perfumers, Thomas Fontaine, Vanina Muracciole, and Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, were very tight with their mission. “There was no need to do very complicated things. This fragrance is in itself modern; everyone would be able to wear it today.”
Will it be commercialised? For now, it’s only focused on conducting research. Osmothèque specialises in reviving fragrances that have been lost over the years. However, if you are curious about the early days of Venetian perfumery, you can visit the perfume itinerary at the Museo della Storia della Moda e del Costume at Ca’ Mocenigo San Stae. Here, you can explore a collection of spices and other treasures, as well as admire magnificent bottles, including valuable and handcrafted ones made of Murano glass. These bottles are still used today by brands for grand special editions, which is another example of the excellence that made the Serenissima shine.
