Aromas and Art – Su Mohr, Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, and Independent Young Living Distributor
Apr 26, 2023 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards, The Paper Players | 0 comments
Everyone gets excited to see Stampin’ Up’s new designer paper, and today’s card uses two that will be available May 2nd! I began by fussy cutting a raccoon from the Zany Zoo Designer Paper. The raccoon is one of 18 (I think I counted correctly) super cute animals in the package.
For the raccoon’s background, I cut Bright & Beautiful Designer Paper (4″ X 5 1/4″) to layer on a Lemon Lolly card base, 8 1/2″ X 5 1/2″, folded at 4 1/4″. This designer paper has beautiful patterns and colors, and you’ll be able to see all of them in the new catalog. Lemon Lolly is one of the new colors added to the “core colors” during this year’s color refresh, and it is luscious!
Zoo Crew Birthday
Next, I cut a piece of Lemon Lolly Cardstock, 4″ X 1 1/2″, and gave it fringe with a Beautiful Balloons Die. Then, I used another Beautiful Balloons Die to cut a large balloon from Vellum Cardstock, gluing just the bottom of it to the fringed piece. Then, I attached everything to the card front with Dimensionals; hiding Dimensionals behind the raccoon and balloons.
The Beautiful Balloon Dies coordinate with the Beautiful Balloons Stamp Set and Bright & Beautiful Designer Paper. On May 2nd, you’ll be able to order the bundle for a 10% savings, or the suite, which includes Gold Celebrations Specialty Paper.
The sentiment I chose is from the carry-over, Sending Smiles Stamp Set. “Happy Birthday” was stamped in Memento Black Ink, cut with a Sending Die, and attached with Dimensionals.
I love creating with new products, and can’t wait to show you more!
I was inspired by The Paper Players.
The Last Chance Products Sale will end May 1. Clicking the banner will take you to the updated lists for the 2022-2023 Annual Catalog and the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog.
My April Host Code Gift
Place an order of $75.00 or more, before tax and shipping, and I will send you the Raindrops Embossing Folder in May.
Click here to see the Online Exclusives. Check back on May 2, when more items will be added.
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
Lily and Su
Clicking this shop button will take you to my store and automatically add my Host Code for April 2023.
Links to the new products will be available May 2nd.
Product List
Sending Smiles Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)
[158701]
$22.00
Sending Dies (English)
[159271]
$33.00
Vellum 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[101856]
$10.00
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[159276]
$10.25
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
[132708]
$6.00
Paper Snips
[103579]
$11.
00
Stampin’ Dimensionals
[104430]
$4.25
Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
[149653]
$125.00
Gallery Archives – Aromas and Art
Apr 26, 2023 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards, The Paper Players | 0 comments
Everyone gets excited to see Stampin’ Up’s new designer paper, and today’s card uses two that will be available May 2nd! I began by fussy cutting a raccoon from the Zany Zoo Designer Paper. The raccoon is one of 18 (I think I counted correctly) super cute animals in the package.
For the raccoon’s background, I cut Bright & Beautiful Designer Paper (4″ X 5 1/4″) to layer on a Lemon Lolly card base, 8 1/2″ X 5 1/2″, folded at 4 1/4″. This designer paper has beautiful patterns and colors, and you’ll be able to see all of them in the new catalog. Lemon Lolly is one of the new colors added to the “core colors” during this year’s color refresh, and it is luscious!
Zoo Crew Birthday
Next, I cut a piece of Lemon Lolly Cardstock, 4″ X 1 1/2″, and gave it fringe with a Beautiful Balloons Die.
Then, I used another Beautiful Balloons Die to cut a large balloon from Vellum Cardstock, gluing just the bottom of it to the fringed piece. Then, I attached everything to the card front with Dimensionals; hiding Dimensionals behind the raccoon and balloons.
The Beautiful Balloon Dies coordinate with the Beautiful Balloons Stamp Set and Bright & Beautiful Designer Paper. On May 2nd, you’ll be able to order the bundle for a 10% savings, or the suite, which includes Gold Celebrations Specialty Paper.
The sentiment I chose is from the carry-over, Sending Smiles Stamp Set. “Happy Birthday” was stamped in Memento Black Ink, cut with a Sending Die, and attached with Dimensionals.
I love creating with new products, and can’t wait to show you more!
I was inspired by The Paper Players.
The Last Chance Products Sale will end May 1. Clicking the banner will take you to the updated lists for the 2022-2023 Annual Catalog and the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog.
My April Host Code Gift
Place an order of $75.00 or more, before tax and shipping, and I will send you the Raindrops Embossing Folder in May.
Click here to see the Online Exclusives. Check back on May 2, when more items will be added.
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
Lily and Su
Clicking this shop button will take you to my store and automatically add my Host Code for April 2023.
Links to the new products will be available May 2nd.
Product List
Sending Smiles Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)
[158701]
$22.00
Sending Dies (English)
[159271]
$33.00
Vellum 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[101856]
$10.00
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[159276]
$10.25
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
[132708]
$6.00
Paper Snips
[103579]
$11.
00
Stampin’ Dimensionals
[104430]
$4.25
Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
[149653]
$125.00
Apr 24, 2023 | Gallery, Global Design Project, Hand-Crafted Cards | 4 comments
This week’s Global Design Project is the theme, “rain or shine.” Be inspired by our designers, then create your own design, and hang it in our gallery.
I created a rainbow, using the Season Of Chic Stamp Set, which is carrying over to the 2023-2024 Annual Catalog. The bundle is included in my Product List below, because it’s available with Chic Dies for a 10% discount. The stamp set and dies will be sold separately in the new catalog.
I used the “swish” stamp to stamp five colors on Basic White Cardstock, 4 ” X 5 1/4″. This is the order used to create the rainbow: Fresh Freesia, Tahitian Tide, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, and Poppy Parade.
Rainbow and Raindrops
Next, I stamped, “the best is yet to come,” in Memento Black Ink on Thick Basic White Cardstock, used a Painted Labels Die for cutting, and attached it with Dimensionals.
This Painted Labels Die Set is retiring (discounted 60%), and the sentiment is from the Dainty Delight Stamp Set, which is carrying over to the 2023-2024 Annual Catalog.
Before gluing the rainbow to its Thick Basic White card base (8 1/2″ X 5 1/2″, folded at 4 1/4″), I embossed it with the Raindrops Embossing Folder.
The final step was adding a few 2022-2024 Matte Dots.
My April Host Code Gift
Place an order of $75.00 or more, before tax and shipping, and I will send you the Raindrops Embossing Folder in May.
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
Lily and Su
Clicking this shop button will take you to my store and automatically add my Host Code for April 2023.
Product List
Season Of Chic Bundle (English)
[158816]
$57.50
Season Of Chic Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)
[158810]
$27.
00
Dainty Delight Cling Stamp Set (English)
[161078]
$25.00
Painted Labels Dies
[151605]
$35.00
Raindrops Embossing Folder
[160554]
$8.50
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock
[159229]
$8.75
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[159276]
$10.25
Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin’ Pad
[155611]
$8.00
Tahitian Tide Classic Stampin’ Pad
[159210]
$8.00
Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin’ Pad
[147094]
$8.00
Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin’ Pad
[147086]
$8.00
Poppy Parade Classic Stampin’ Pad
[147050]
$8.00
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
[132708]
$6.00
2022 2024 In Color Matte Decorative Dots
[159186]
$8.00
Stampin’ Dimensionals
[104430]
$4.25
Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
[149653]
$125.
00
Apr 23, 2023 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards | 8 comments
Today’s card is a combination of Seaside Bay and Season Of Chic, both carrying over to the 2023-2024 Annual Catalog. And, the last time I checked, By The Bay Designer Paper was still available at a discounted price, because it’s retiring.
I began by cutting layers with Deckled Rectangles Dies, also carrying over. I used the largest to cut Basic White Cardstock, the 3rd largest to cut By The Bay DSP, the 4th largest to cut Basic White Cardstock, the 6th largest to cut By The Bay DSP.
Seaside Chic
Prior to gluing the largest layer to a Thick Basic White card base (8 1/2″ X 5 1/2″, folded at 4 1/4″), I embossed it with a 3D Basics Embossing Folder. This is one of three embossing folders in the Online Exclusives, scheduled to be back in stock the week of May 1.
The top three layers were glued together, and attached with Dimensionals to the embossed layer.
The fabulous mat, on top, was cut from Thick Basic White Cardstock with a Chic Die.
Don’t you love it? The shell was stamped off in Night Of Navy Ink, cut with a Chic Die, attached with Dimensionals, and given some Night Of Navy Ribbon. The ribbon was fun to shred, by cutting one of the borders, and pulling it apart.
The sentiment, “You are a pearl, rare and precious.” is from the Seaside Bay Stamp Set, stamped in Night Of Navy Ink. I used the smallest Deckled Rectangles Die, making two cuts to fit the sentiment.
A single, Flat Adhesive Backed Pearl was the final touch.
The Last Chance Products Sale will end May 1. Clicking the banner will take you to the updated lists for the 2022-2023 Annual Catalog and the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog.
My April Host Code Gift
Place an order of $75.00 or more, before tax and shipping, and I will send you the Raindrops Embossing Folder in May.
Click here to see the Online Exclusives. Check back on May 2, when more items will be added.
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
Lily and Su
Clicking this shop button will take you to my store and automatically add my Host Code for April 2023.
Product List
Season Of Chic Bundle (English)
[158816]
$57.50
Seaside Bay Cling Stamp Set (English)
[160436]
$26.00
Deckled Rectangles Dies
[159173]
$30.00
Basics 3 D Embossing Folders
[161598]
$30.00
By The Bay 6″ X 6″ (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper
[160434]
$15.00
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock
[159229]
$8.75
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[159276]
$10.25
Night Of Navy Classic Stampin’ Pad
[147110]
$8.00
Night Of Navy 3/8″ (1 Cm) Bordered Ribbon
[160581]
$9.00
Flat Adhesive Backed Pearls
[160449]
$9.
00
Stampin’ Dimensionals
[104430]
$4.25
Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
[149653]
$125.00
Apr 22, 2023 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards | 2 comments
For today’s card, I used just one stamp set, Quiet Meadow, on a single layer card. This stamp set is a carry-over to the new 2023-2024 Annual Catalog, and has wonderful coordinating, Meadow Dies. You can see the complete sets in my Product List below.
Single Layer
I began by cutting Basic White Cardstock with the largest Deckled Rectangles Die. Then, I used a Blending Brush and Parakeet Party Ink to add color to the background. This was followed by stamping flowers and dots in Parakeet Party Ink.
Next, I stamped flowers, and the sentiment, in Coastal Cabana Ink. To complete the stamping, I used Daffodil Delight Ink for the obscured lettering.
My single layer was attached with Dimensionals to a Coastal Cabana card base, 8 1/2″ X 5 1/2″, folded at 4 1/4″.
My April Host Code Gift
Place an order of $75.00 or more, before tax and shipping, and I will send you the Raindrops Embossing Folder in May.
The Last Chance Products Sale will end May 1. Clicking the banner will take you to the updated lists for the 2022-2023 Annual Catalog and the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog.
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
Lily and Su
Clicking this shop button will take you to my store and automatically add my Host Code for April 2023.
Product List
Quiet Meadow Cling Stamp Set
[155082]
$21.00
Meadow Dies
[155852]
$38.00
Deckled Rectangles Dies
[159173]
$30.00
Coastal Cabana 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[131297]
$9.25
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[159276]
$10.25
Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin’ Pad
[147097]
$8.
00
Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin’ Pad
[147094]
$8.00
Parakeet Party Classic Stampin’ Pad
[159208]
$8.00
Blending Brushes
[153611]
$12.50
Stampin’ Dimensionals
[104430]
$4.25
Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
[149653]
$125.00
Apr 21, 2023 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards | 2 comments
One of my favorites from the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog is the Ginkgo Branch. Now is your chance to get the Ginkgo Dies at a 60% discount, while supplies last; that’s just $14.40!
You’ll find the Ginkgo Dies pictured in my Last Chance list below, where you can click to see the discounted prices.
Ginkgo Easter Blessings
Fancy Flora Ginkgo Branch
Ginkgo and Fancy Flora
My April Host Code Gift
Place an order of $75.00 or more, before tax and shipping, and I will send you the Raindrops Embossing Folder in May.
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
Lily and Su
Clicking this shop button will take you to my store and automatically add my Host Code for April 2023.
The Last Chance Products Sale ends May 1. Clicking the banner will take you to the updated lists for the 2022-2023 Annual Catalog and the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog.
Here is a pictured list of January-April 2023 Catalog products that are discounted 20%-60%. The sale price will show when you click on the picture.
I should point out that the Queen Bee Dies are retiring, but the stamp set is carrying over to the new catalog. That would be a great choice at 60% off!
Opaque Adhesive Backed Gems
[160412]
$8.00
Fine Shimmer 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Paper Pack
[160428]
$10.00
Fragrant Flowers Dies
[160459]
$31.00
By The Bay 6″ X 6″ (15.
2 X 15.2 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper
[160434]
$15.00
Queen Bee Dies
[160484]
$32.00
Hand Drawn Dots Cling Stamp Set
[160508]
$19.00
Layered Stripes Cling Stamp Set
[160515]
$19.00
On The Farm Dies
[160660]
$32.00
Marigold Moments Dies
[160666]
$33.00
Enamel Dot Essentials
[160751]
$8.00
Way To Grow Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)
[160737]
$23.00
Conversation Bubbles Cling Stamp Set (English)
[160628]
$24.00
Pale Papaya 1/2″ (1.3 Cm) Faux Velvet Trim
[160535]
$9.00
Gold Faceted Adhesive Backed Sequins
[160536]
$8.00
Delicate Desert 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper
[160521]
$12.00
Desert Details Dies
[160531]
$34.00
Like An Animal 12″ X 12″ (30.
5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper
[160841]
$15.00
Kind & Sincere Cling Stamp Set (English)
[160739]
$26.00
Decorative Borders Photopolymer Stamp Set
[160513]
$23.00
Occasionally Funny Cling Stamp Set (English)
[160729]
$25.00
Ginkgo Branch Dies
[160468]
$36.00
Enamel Sticker Icons
[160598]
$8.50
Enjoy The Journey 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper
[160586]
$12.00
Beautiful Thistle Cling Stamp Set (English)
[160335]
$22.00
Beautiful Thistle Dies
[160681]
$28.00
Loveliest Layers Decorative Masks
[160517]
$10.50
Brushed Bouquet Dies
[160473]
$32.00
Picturesque Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)
[160511]
$19.00
Warm Welcome Dies
[160703]
$33.00
Adhesive Backed Studs
[160767]
$9.
50
Ready To Ride 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper
[160752]
$15.00
Enjoy The Adventure Memories & More Card Pack
[160840]
$10.00
Enjoy The Adventure Memories & More Cards & Envelopes
[160842]
Apr 19, 2023 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards | 2 comments
First of all, It’s FREE SHIPPING today, Wednesday April 19th!
The Happier Than Happy stamp set is a favorite for the “young at heart,” and is a Last Chance product. Get it now while it’s still available for $24.00, and the Happy Forest die set, which is discounted 60%, for $12.00. And, don’t forget to include the Happy Forest Friends Designer Paper, $12.00. The bear, fox, owl, and bird were all fussy cut from this darling paper. To see details, just click on the pictures in my Product List below.
Happy Forest Friends
The animal’s background is from another pattern of Happy Forest Friends Designer Paper, cut with the largest Scalloped Contours Die.
After cutting the background, I glued it to a Thick Basic White card base, 8 1/2″ X 5 1/2″, folded at 4 1/4″.
Next, I found the sentiment in A Grand Kid Stamp Set (low inventory), and stamped “To an extraordinary granddaughter” in Early Espresso Ink. This stamp set is $21.00, also a Last Chance product. Then, I used the smallest Scalloped Contours Die for cutting, and attached it with Dimensionals, along with the animals. I think my granddaughter, Lily, will love it.
Get FREE SHIPPING today on the Last Chance Products. Clicking the banner will take you to the updated lists for the 2022-2023 Annual Catalog and the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog.
Here is a pictured list of some of the dies that are discounted 60%. The sale price will show when you click on the picture:
Flowers Of Home Dies
[157938]
$32.00
Elephant Dies
[158696]
$25.00
Blossoming Happiness Dies
[158823]
$32.
00
Layering Hollyhocks Dies
[158879]
$37.00
Happy Forest Dies
[158951]
$30.00
Honeybee Blooms Dies
[157951]
$28.00
Harvest Dies
[156504]
$38.00
Geraniums Dies
[159061]
$34.00
Birdhouse Dies
[158846]
$33.00
Organic Beauty Dies
[158983]
$42.00
Brilliant Wings Dies
[155523]
$44.00
Amazing Thanks Dies (English)
[157816]
$27.00
Artisan Additions Dies
[159172]
$34.00
Daffodil Dies
[157794]
$38.00
Delicate Edges Dies
[159180]
$30.00
Floral Gallery Dies
[154316]
$34.00
Hydrangea Dies
[154326]
$32.00
Eden Dies
[157831]
$35.00
Enchanting Details Dies
[159166]
$33.00
Painted Labels Dies
[151605]
$35.
00
Majestic Mountain Dies
[151608]
$36.00
Palms Dies
[157718]
$35.00
Poppy Moments Dies
[151594]
$37.00
Potted Succulents Dies
[154330]
$39.00
Penned Flowers Dies
[155557]
$30.00
Perfect Plants Dies
[155562]
$32.00
Ranunculus Dies
[157976]
$32.00
Seaside Seashells Dies
[156095]
$34.00
Rugged Icons Dies
[159104]
$29.00
Sequins Dies
[159140]
$23.00
Summer Shadows Dies
[156618]
$34.00
Tulips Dies
[157677]
$35.00
My April Host Code Gift
Place an order of $75.00 or more, before tax and shipping, and I will send you the Raindrops Embossing Folder in May.
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
Lily and Su
Clicking this shop button will take you to my store and automatically add my Host Code for April 2023.
The Happy Forest Dies are just $12.00, which makes it better to buy the stamp set and dies separately, than in a bundle.
Product List
Happier Than Happy Cling Stamp Set (English)
[158944]
$24.00
Happy Forest Dies
[158951]
$30.00
Happy Forest Friends 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper
[158941]
$12.00
A Grand Kid Cling Stamp Set (English)
[152500]
$21.00
Color & Contour Bundle (English)
[158356]
$50.25
Scalloped Contours Dies
[155560]
$35.00
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Thick Cardstock
[159229]
$8.75
Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
[159276]
$10.25
Early Espresso Classic Stampin’ Pad
[147114]
$8.00
Paper Snips
[103579]
$11.00
Stampin’ Dimensionals
[104430]
$4.
25
Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
[149653]
$125.00
“Fragrances and Art” – Articles — fifi.ru
Mystic Flower
The sphere that we now call aromatic art has always occupied a special place in the life of culture. In ancient times, fragrances were part of religious practices, they accompanied the ceremonies of the Egyptian priests and the Greek mysteries. In the Middle Ages, the study of aromas was the occupation of alchemists and pharmacists. The contribution of Arab mystics and scientists was especially significant. Islamic theologians said that a pleasant smell attracts angels. The philosophers Al-Kindi and Ibn Sina considered odorous substances to be a special form of matter capable of healing the body and spirit. In addition to many other treatises, Al-Kindi was the author of the first perfumery textbook, The Book of the Chemistry of Aromas and Distillations. And the Persian chemist Abu ar-Razi is considered the inventor of the alembic.
Persian chemist Abu ar-Razi – inventor of the alembic Take one or two ratl of the finest jasmine oil, pour it into a glass bowl, then add three ratl of refined nadukh (a type of aromatic substance) for each mana of jasmine oil. Add zest, apple peel, de-seeded quince pieces, crushed sandalwood, dried red rose petals, fresh myrtle tops, wild thyme leaves, dried or fresh ocimum leaves, lemon pulp or juice. Keep the resulting mixture closed and stir once a day. If necessary, you can update the ingredients every five days. You will get a sharp and fragrant smell. Strain the mixture, pour it into a bottle and add two grains of musk. You’ll have a great aromatic substance.” (Al-Kindi “Chemistry of perfumes and distillations”, 9th century)
Over time, fragrance as an image of the divine presence will become part of the poetic tradition of Sufism.
Only the lightest fragrance
From the drop that spilled on the earth,
Raised Adam to heaven.
![]()
The painting of Islamic countries also perfectly reveals the reverent attitude towards the fragrance. In Persian miniatures, plants act not as silent decorations, but as full participants in the plots. The tenderness and fragrance of flowers serves as a reminder of the absolute, unearthly beauty.
Sultan Muhammad, Youth with a book, 16th century Payag, Emperor Humayun (detail), 1650s Muhammad Mahdi. Flowers. ser. XVIII в
The art of the Islamic world is impossible without various ornaments and patterns. It is difficult to imagine a more elegant visualization of the opening aroma than an intricate floral ornament. As in the development of the sound of perfume applied to the skin, there is a dynamic variety of shades in the ornaments and, at the same time, fidelity to a single melody. No wonder ornament is a favorite bottle design element for both Eastern and Western perfume houses.
Ornament and fragrances
Renaissance
For Europeans, the beginning of the development of perfume culture was part of the global changes that brought the ideas of the Renaissance. Unlike the Middle Ages, man in all his contradictions is placed at the center of the universe. His imperfection and needs, the desire for beauty and harmony – everything turns out to be important. Artists and sculptors strive for a voluminous, sensually true expression of the image. Marble skin of goddesses or dull eyes of old drunkards – everything requires authenticity. For the first time, the artist will face the task of thoroughly conveying the aura, the atmosphere of the plot, including, of course, the smell.
Peter Paul Rubens, Ceres and Two Nymphs, 1624 Joachim von Sandrart, November 1643 Jan Vermeer, Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window, 1657-1659 accuracy will dominate visual art for a very long time.
And perfumery will also follow this concept. As far as we imagine the spirits of those times, most often they were extremely bright smells, composed of several notes. The level of technology already made it possible to supply very strong and persistent fragrances. At the same time, the perfume etiquette of those years was very different from the present. In the 17th-18th centuries, they were perfumed with such force that the fragrance could spread over several tens of meters. Perfume was applied not only to the body, but also to clothes, wigs, and interior items. In the boudoir of a noble lady, curtains, ottomans, carpets and even lap dogs could be scented with her favorite perfume. In the memoirs of that time, one can find references to the fact that during gallant visits it is necessary to breathe through a scarf. And here is how a Viennese author described the hairstyle of one fashionista in a book of 1744: “I saw a lady who used two pounds of lipstick, three pounds of powder, a bottle of lavender water, several dozen feathers and the same number of colorful ribbons for her hairstyle.
”
Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame Marsollier with her daughter, 1749 Johann Kupetsky, Portrait of Franziska Wussin, 1716
Excessive use of perfume corresponded to the luxurious spirit of the Baroque, but it can also be explained by the everyday mores of the era. There was almost no sanitary and hygienic knowledge. It is widely known that in the everyday life of the Sun King Louis XIV there was absolutely no water, and wine alcohol and perfume were used for the toilet. Naturally, the manners of the king were the subject of imitation of the French nobles and the European aristocracy in general. Fragrant waters were used for washing, such as “Imperial water” or rosemary “Water of the Queen of Hungary”, and the skin and hair were abundantly smeared with ointments with flowers, almonds, and incense. Physicians, drawing their knowledge from disparate alchemical texts, considered aromatic mixtures an effective treatment for all kinds of diseases and willingly prescribed them in addition to the usual volume.
At the same time, the cities were terribly dirty, especially around the markets, and the streets, which often served as sewers, emitted a stench. A characteristic plot for the urban culture of the 17th-18th centuries is a man who carries a lady through a stream of sewage to the porch of a house. At the same time, the lady was perfumed as much as her means allowed.
Michel Garnier, Crossing the Street, 18th century
The air of the Renaissance and the Gallant Age was a supersaturated solution in which disgusting miasmas and noble odors seethed and reacted. From putrid cloying to burning musk, from the suffocating smoke of kitchen hearths to strong floral sweetness. There was too much of all this, everything was in a concentration that is deadly for a modern person. This atmosphere can be felt when looking at the canvases of the old masters, who, with amazing skill, transferred light and scented air to the paintings. It was the artists of the New Age who discovered the integrity of human perception, in which all the senses, including the sense of smell, are inextricably linked.
Jan Sanredam, The Five Senses: Smell. Second half of the 16th century (“Although a flower-bearing garden is pleasant to the nose, bitter bile is often hidden behind the sweet aroma”) Bartolome Esteban Murillo, Boys Eating Grapes and Melons, 1645-1646 Jan Brueghel the Elder with Peter Paul Rubens, Allegory of Five feelings. Smell, c.1617 Jan Brueghel the Elder, Allegory of Sight and Smell, c. 1620 Bernardo Strozzi, The Old Coquette (Allegory of Frailty), 1615
Classical ideal
The period of the Industrial Revolution brought new trends to the aesthetic space of Europe. Strictness and restraint reigned with classicism, and romanticism glorified the elegant, fragile ideal of beauty. Exquisite feelings have replaced the bodily feast, and simplicity has become preferable to luxury. An unwritten code of style was being formed, which we now call good taste.
The development of the perfume industry, which quickly adapted the achievements of chemical science, made it possible to keep up with the times. The fragrances have become more subtle and concise, the pretentiousness and pressure of baroque spirits are a thing of the past. People began to appreciate the aromatic intonation and the development of the bouquet. The perfume business was less and less associated with craft and medicine, and more and more with poetry, especially after the synesthetic experiments of Baudelaire and Rimbaud.
« Nature is a strict temple, where the system of living columns
Sometimes a slightly intelligible sound stealthily drops;
He wanders through the forests of symbols, drowns in their thickets
An embarrassed person, touched by their gaze.
Like an echo of echoes in one unclear chord,
Where everything is one, light and darkness at night,
Fragrances and sounds and colors
It combines consonants in harmony.
There is a virgin smell; like a meadow, it is pure and holy,
Like a child’s body, the high sound of an oboe;
And there is a solemn, depraved aroma –
A fusion of incense and amber and benzoin:
In it, the infinite is suddenly available to us,
9 0004 It contains the highest thoughts of delight and the best feelings of ecstasy! »
Charles Baudelaire, Correspondences, 1855
Although Baudelaire, as befits a Dionysian, appreciated musky, ecstatic fragrances more, the general trend was the opposite. Overtly animal and strongly sweet smells were considered unnecessarily provocative, and in England – are frankly vulgar. But fresh, cool notes came into force. Like the romantic landscapes of David Caspar and William Turner, these scents carried a clean, airy vibe. One of the first perfumes of this type was the legendary Eau de Cologne, which was used by everyone from Napoleon to the soldier.
David Kaspar, Rügen chalk cliffs Eau de Cologne – “Cologne water” Farina
Unsweetened florals will become the main fragrances until the beginning of the 20th century – even the rose will fade into the shadows. In addition to flowers, citrus and colonial accents, such as geranium and cardamom, will come into fashion. The story of Guerlain, founded in 1828, tells the story of the evolution of perfume in the 19th century. For several decades, this house has gone from a shop selling various cosmetic products to a perfume supplier to the imperial court. In 1889Aimé Guerlain launched Jicky, a fragrance that is both the quintessence of the tastes of its century and the pioneer of a new contemporary perfume era. Perhaps this is the first impressionistic fragrance. There is still a lot of classic romance in Jicky, it breathes the coolness of rosemary, the tenderness of lavender, the astringency of pelargonium. But at the same time, the synthetic energy of coumarin is already felt, which dispels melancholy.
By the way, it was at this time that the men’s aromatic arsenal was formed, which is still relevant today. It is dominated by forest, mossy shades, noble skin, aged alcohol. These are fragrances like Hammam Bouquet (1872) from the English house Penhaligon’s and the revolutionary Fougere Royale Houbigant (1882), the progenitor of all fougere perfumes.
Guerlain Jicky Penhaligon’s Hammam Bouquet
In general, classic fragrances do not excite, but bring peace. Sometimes dreamy, and sometimes similar to the morning clarity of thoughts and feelings. Harmony always reigns in the spirits of the century before last. Just like in the painting of this time, almost devoid of sharp contrasts and aggressive expression. Romantics and realists, Pre-Raphaelites – all were absorbed in the study of color, combinations of shades and halftones. Perhaps, painting and the art of composing fragrances were closer than ever to each other at that time.
Auguste Toulmouch, 1829-1890. Letter Henry La Tangue, Winter in Liguria Henry Siddons Mowbray, Overflows, 1895 Herbert James Draper, Sweat Pourri, 1897 John William Waterhouse, Soul of the Rose, 1908 90 002 Wonderful, new fragrance
Hardly It is appropriate to compare Malevich’s Manifesto painting “Black Square” and Chanel No. 5 perfume, but there are still certain grounds for analogy. The 20th century began with a modernist revolution, in which the usual laws of life and creativity burned down. Art no longer concentrated on objective reality, preferring to it first the subjective impression and then pure abstraction. Painting was looking for new expressive means, revising the laws of composition and palette. And the art of perfumery again shared a common path with the rest of the culture.
The laboratory synthesis of fragrances and the discovery of aldehydes provided perfumers with an unprecedented wealth of possibilities. It was a time of creative explosion and the heyday of the leading perfume houses, the symbol of which was the creation of Erenst Bo, enclosed in a constructivist bottle. The success of aldehyde perfumes will force perfumers, following the painters, to be guided, first of all, by associative and abstract principles. Instead of casts of natural smells, create reflections of complex aromatic images born in the depths of the subconscious. New perfumery is interested in subtle associations, dreams, memories that reveal the metaphysical dimension of smell. A special artistic space has appeared in the perfumery world, in which the olfactory potential of aesthetic perception is explored. To mark the boundaries of this space, we recall some of the works that have become iconic for modern culture.
Umberto Boccioni, State of Mind: Farewell, 1911
In 1913 the artist Carlo Carra publishes the article “Painting of sounds, noises and smells”.
Here is how he explains the significance of fragrance for renewed painting: “It is quite clear that silence is static, while sounds, noises and smells are mobile; sounds, noises and smells are nothing but different types of vibrations of different strength; any succession of sounds, noises and smells is imprinted by our mind in the form of an arabesque of shapes and colors. We must measure the intensity of these impressions and perceive this arabesque. […] And there is not an ounce of exaggeration in the statement that one smell is already enough to create in our minds arabesques of shapes and colors that can easily become both a motive and an excuse for the need to paint. Indeed, if we are closed in a dark room (so that our senses no longer work) with flowers, gasoline, or other strongly smelling objects, our plastic spirit gradually removes sensations from memory and creates instead plastic abstractions, which in its entirety and in movement perfectly match the smells in the room. These smells, through an invisible process, became the force of the environment, defining a state of mind that, for us Futurist artists, is pure plastic abstraction.
A photograph of Rose Sélavy, the alter ego of the French artist and art theorist Marcel Duchamp, on a bottle of Belle Haleine eau de toilette
For Salvador Dalí, the paramount in fragrances was their “closeness to the subconscious, undefiled by denunciation of thought.” He regularly left memories of vivid olfactory experiences in his diaries and collaborated with perfumers on numerous occasions. And after his death, spirits dedicated to his genius come out from time to time.
Sketch by Salvador Dali for the perfume bottle Le Roy Soleil by Schiaparelli Bottle of Schiaparelli Le Roy Soleil
Another fragrance, in which Dali took part, the great surrealist gave his name and the painting “The Appearance of the Face of Aphrodite of Cnidus in the Landscape”.
Salvador Dali fragrance, inspired by the genius of the surrealist artist
For postmodernists, scents have become a versatile art game tool that can add unexpected depth to any unsteady look.
Sometimes this gives rise to amazing, original finds, and sometimes the lack of specificity and intellectualism turn into boredom.
Sissel Tollas is a Norwegian artist known worldwide for her perfume performances and her collection of 7,000 real life scents.
Sissel Tollas, Fear of the smell – the smell of fear, 2006-2015 Yana Sterbak, Nightgown soaked in smell, 1993 Yana Sterbak, Container for perfume portrait, 2004 En di Warhol, Chanel No. 5, 1980 Installation Ernest Nato’s Nothing Happening Yet is regularly re-created as an interactive system of suspended odorous substances: black pepper, cumin, cloves, ginger and turmeric The ottoman by Valesk Soares is built as an olfactory meditation device
The installations Steam (1970) by Bill Viola and Flying Away (1980) by Sildo Mireles are conceived as a laboratory experiment.
The combination of visual, tactile and olfactory influences transfers the viewer to a specific, individual state for each. Viola refers to calmness, the smooth transformation of eucalyptus-scented water, while Mireles generates a poignant, totalitarian atmosphere with the help of technogenic scents.
Bill Viola, Steam, 1970 Sildo Mireles, Volatile, 1980
The contemplation of the fragrance has inspired the creation of many works of art – and they have forever become part of the cultural code. After all, neither the passage of time nor the twists and turns of history can stop the inexplicable and enchanting power of fragrance.
Prepared by Anton Shevchenko
Aromas in Art
January 2023
Aromas in Art
“Art is the ability to see the invisible, touch the intangible, and draw that that has no shape.
”
(c) Joseph Joubert
Today, one of the most difficult tasks for artists is to attract attention and interest. The viewer is becoming more and more sophisticated, and not everyone is open to new forms.
With the help of modern technologies, Art becomes interactive and more and more moves into the digital space. The computer can now write music and pictures by itself thanks to the generation of elements from the accumulated databases. And even though these works are still somewhat abstract and blurry for human perception, it may be difficult in the future to distinguish a picture painted by an artist from a picture created by a program.
The only thing that is still difficult to describe with a binary code, and that keeps the warmth of the creator’s hands and the soul of nature, is aroma. Smells help to find a way to the heart of the viewer, expose emotions, tell a heartfelt story and discover something important, hidden in the fog of everyday life.
That is why contact through the olfactory channel of perception (our sense of smell) is one of the actual tools of interaction with the viewer. It is used in classical and contemporary music concerts, art exhibitions, installations and performances.
XX century
Aromas in Art began to be used in the last century. In 1938, at the International Surrealist Exhibition in Paris “Exposition internationale du Surréalisme” in the Fine Arts Gallery, several works were presented in which smells played an important role.
In the installation by artist Wolfgang Paalen, oak leaves, grasses and moss, reeds and water lilies were scattered around an artificial pond right in the center of the room. The fresh forest smell mixed with aromas associated with hot Brazil, because in the grotto of the main hall, the poet Benjamin Pere roasted coffee beans. Thus, two opposite moods merged together, emphasizing the dualistic nature of the worlds: the real and the unconscious.
After the Second World War, in search of a confidential dialogue with the viewer, to create the effect of presence, the artists again returned to expressing thoughts with the help of smells.
In 1975, Bill Viola (American video artist) in his work “Il Vapor” used a bright scent of eucalyptus. In front of a large screen, which played back a recording of an artist launching eucalyptus leaves into a vat of boiling water, there was a real vat, spreading fragrant steam.
German artist Wolfgang Laib in 1988 achieved “total immersion” of the viewer in the installation “The Passageway” (from English – passage, corridor, gallery), assembled from beeswax cubes. A sweet and relaxing honey aroma spread throughout the hall, which created a single space and a sense of security, completely immersing the viewer in the master’s work.
Japanese artist and Fluxus band member Takako Saito’s landmark work “Spice Chess” in 1965 called for social equality.
In the chess set, all the pieces were replaced with bottles with spicy scents. For example, white pawns were filled with cinnamon extract, white knights with ginger, white rooks with nutmeg, and a white queen with anise. Black elephants with cumin, black king with asafoetida (dried natural latex), and black queen with cayenne pepper. Before making a move, the players brought the bottle to their nose and determined the status of the piece by smell. Saito thus drew attention to the inequality of people, class and racial categorization, which put a stigma on a person and determine his ability to move in social space.
XI century
In our century, perfume compositions are often full-fledged participants in creative projects. The multisensory nature of the surrounding world seemed to burst into modern and classical exhibition halls, enhancing the emotional contact between the viewer and the artist.
At the 2015 exhibition “In Search of Scents Lost” at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, scents have taken a key place in the viewer’s exploration of the works of famous artists.
Each painting in the exhibition was framed with a certain fragrance.
For example, in the painting by Gertgen tot Sint Jans “The Adoration of the Magi” one could feel the bitter and dense smell of myrrh, setting off the plot of the biblical story. This fragrance, with its heavy sound, created an forcing atmosphere and informed the viewer about the difficult fate of Jesus Christ.
Italian sculptor and designer Matteo Chibik created incredible futuristic white plaster flowers and plants in 2017, giving each one a unique and vibrant scent. Here the author shows how closely related perceptions are: visual and olfactory.
This idea was also at the heart of the “ECAL” (“Bouquet”) project, created by students of the Swiss University of Applied Sciences under the direction of Niklas Roy. ECAL is an olfactory device that, using a special nozzle, allows you to transfer color from the screen through an associative combination of aromas.
The phenomenon of synesthesia is created, increasing sensory perception.
As part of the international design festival “DESIGN ACT-2010”, the Russian art project “Aromamedia” presented the installation “Architecture of Air” in Moscow. The viewer was asked to get into a small space, limited by a black cube, in which there was no light at all. Entering the cube, the viewer heard a voluminous, opening sound and felt a light, space-expanding aroma. Without the main channel of communication – vision, a peculiar architecture of air is built, taking shape and multidimensionality due to the vibrations of sound and smell.
In 2022, the exhibition “Everplace NFT” was held in St. Petersburg. The viewer was offered a sensory experience in the perception of complex technological Art, performed in different media genres. At this exhibition, paintings by Serafima Sazhina, dedicated to the dreams of various people, were complemented by olfactory plaster objects suspended from the ceiling by Lilia Bakanova.
This joint work offered the audience to feel the state when a dream completely takes over the body and consciousness, from which you cannot get out until you wake up.
Conclusion
In this small selection of artistic projects that are closely intertwined with the sensual world of fragrances, it is clearly seen that different channels of perception create a voluminous and multidimensional reality. Feelings intensify against the background of associations and memories, and the viewer becomes a co-author and a direct participant in the creative process.
If we transfer this experience to our lives, we can safely say that each of us is a creator and artist who uses olfactory channels of perception to create his own image.
By selecting perfumes for certain moods and tasks, emphasizing the interior concept with special fragrances, we create a unique dialogue with the outside world, in which we invest our history and tell about an individual outlook on life.