Leonardo da Vinci and the Perfumes of the Renaissance is a journey into the perfumes of the Renaissance through the daily life of Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519). Published to coincide with the exhibition, this book delves into the scents of this brilliant era: the spices, incense and musks of Constantinople; the perfumed costumes of Venice, Florence, Milan; and the court of Francis I of France. It highlights the plants of the Tuscan master’s childhood, such as olive, jasmine, juniper and lemon and orange trees, as well as the smells of the workshop including walnut and linseed oils, rabbit skin glue, resins, waxes and fats. Leonardo himself concocted fragrant recipes, from the most delicate to the most intense, using enfleurage and distillation techniques. This ambitious catalogue features reconstitutions of objects designed by Leonardo, such as an alembic or the famous amber necklace from The Lady with an Ermine.

Author: Pascal Brioist
Hardback
192 pages
26 x 20.6 cm