Art and perfume are two of my longtime passions, and I love exploring the points where they meet. Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be posting a series of observations about perfume advertising’s coy and clever relationship with art history.

This image, a magazine ad for Coty’s fragrance Muse (1946), was created by illustrator Carl “Eric” Erickson. Who knows what this muse is whispering into that stylish woman’s ear in a room overlooking the Place Vendôme?

One vintage ad for Muse reads,

The Greeks had a word for it…Muse. To the Muses…Goddesses of the arts, man has always turned for inspiration. With their aid he has transformed dreams into works of art. To make your own dreams a reality, Coty has created Muse… (via Cleopatra’s Boudoir)

Art itself has often served as a muse for perfume advertising. Stay tuned, and I’ll show you what I mean…