Category Archives: Art and Scent

Art, Music, Perfume: Rasputina’s “Cabin Fever” Album Cover

26 Monday Mar 2018

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I didn’t know anything about the band Rasputina until I walked into one of their live shows, thanks to my husband, who had bought tickets, guessing (correctly) that I would enjoy it. Rasputina’s musical style is often described as “gothic cello-rock,” and it’s certainly a love-or-hate thing. For me, it was love at first note.

I just wanted to share this image, the cover of Rasputina’s 2002 album Cabin Fever. Rasputina’s frontwoman, Melora Creager, creates much of the artwork for the band’s visual materials. She seems to have collaborated with photographer and multi-media artist Ryan Obermeyer for this cover.

Do you see what I see?

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Vanities: David Bowie’s Dressing Table (and Perfume)

12 Monday Mar 2018

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Photograph by Mick Rock, 1973

I’ve been immersed in all things Bowie lately, and I’m staring at these photos by Mick Rock for the hundredth time and feeling as frustrated as I did when I first saw them.

Here’s a recent quote about Bowie from Mick Rock:

“I have loads of pictures of him backstage getting himself ready, in ridiculous extravagant costumes, having a drink in a plastic cup,” Mr. Rock said. After Bowie traveled to Japan and met Kabuki performers, “his makeup got even more exotic. This Japanese makeup was like little pots, there was a lot of little powders involved, all carefully laid out, ready to go,” before a show, “along with the cigarette packs, and maybe a banana or two.”  (The New York Times, March 5, 2018) … Continue reading →

Perfume and Art: Arcimboldo, “The Sense of Smell”

26 Monday Feb 2018

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The Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo became known for his witty and eye-fooling “portrait heads” in the 1500s. His portraits and allegorical figures composed of objects like fruit, vegetables, seashells, and food gained him favor as a court painter and prefigured the much later art historical movement of Surrealism.  (You can read a short Smithsonian article about him here.)

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A Forgotten Perfumer: Ann Haviland on Atlas Obscura

21 Thursday Dec 2017

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I’m a longtime fan of Atlas Obscura, so I was thrilled when its editors were interested in my idea for an article about the perfumer Ann Haviland. I came across Haviland’s name by chance, and the more I read about her work, the more fascinated I was by her innovative approach to perfumery in the 1910s and 1920s. She was a woman ahead of her time.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading the article, which you can find here. Please feel free to share with any friends who might also be interested!

Note: This beautiful illustration was created for the article by artist Whooli Chen. I think it’s perfect for this story. Thank you, Whooli!

Veterans’ Day: Saturday Evening Post (1942)

11 Saturday Nov 2017

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November 11 is Veterans Day, and I’m marking the occasion with this World War II-era cover illustration from the Saturday Evening Post. This G.I. certainly seems to be enjoying the customer service he’s receiving at the perfume counter.

Illustration by John Newton Howitt (1885-1958) for the Saturday Evening Post, published January 17, 1924.

The Art of Perfume Advertising: Jo Malone English Oak Colognes

02 Saturday Sep 2017

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I’m looking forward to trying English Oak & Recurrant and  English Oak Hazelnut, two new fragrances from Jo Malone. In the meantime, I’m thinking about their visuals.

According to perfume Yann Vasnier, “the idea of the forrest [sic] and English oak” was a starting point that Jo Malone wanted to explore. The brand’s Vice President of Global Fragrance Devleopment Celine Roux explains, “The inspiration started with the English oak tree. A powerful and noble symbol, which lies deep in the heart of the English woodland. A place of mystery and enchantment, where legends take root and imagination takes flight. And nowhere better captures this magic and mystery quite like Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, famous for its tales of wandering knights and outlaws – and Robin Hood, of course!”

I’m seeing an additional source of inspiration for the promotional imagery: the story of the Cottingley Fairies, which happens to be celebrating its centennial this year…

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The Art of Perfume Advertising: Helena Rubinstein Emotion (1965)

16 Wednesday Aug 2017

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Helena Rubinstein via Paper Pursuits Emotion

In late 2014, I visited the Jewish Museum to see an exhibition on the life, career, and art collection of cosmetics mogul Helena Rubinstein. The show included materials related to the perfumes released by her brand, which was especially interesting for me. I was particularly curious about the ads for the fragrance Emotion, launched by Helena Rubinstein in 1960.

This ad, which dates to 1965, shows a stylish couple posed against a background of wavy black and white lines that resembles the patterning of a particularly mod zebra. The man is kissing the woman’s hand, or perhaps inhaling her perfume…

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Perfume and Art: Audrey Flack, “Jolie Madame” (1973)

03 Thursday Aug 2017

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I’ve never had a chance to do any “official” research on Audrey Flack’s work, but I’ve been a fan of her photorealist still-life paintings for a long time. Here’s one titled Jolie Madame, dated 1973. (It belongs to the National Gallery of Australia.)

Flack (b. 1931) is known for her contemporary reinterpretations of vanitas images—still-life compositions that symbolically evoke mortality and the “vanity” of earthly pleasures…

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