The famous French art museum, the Louvre, has commissioned perfumes based on some of its most iconic masterpieces, in conjunction with Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac, co-founders of Officine Universelle Buly.
Ramdane and Victoire then recruited eight French perfumers, and tasked them with selecting a work from the Louvre’s collection and creating its perfume, with an aim of adding an olfactory dimension to a visual experience.
The artworks chosen include The Valpinçon Bather by artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, which was interpreted by Daniela Andrier in citronella and orange blossom, embellished with patchouli and incense.
The scent for the sculpture Nymph with the Scorpion by Lorenzo Bartolini was created by Annick Ménardo, using heliotrope and jasmine, spiced up with amber and musk.
The perfume for Saint Joseph the Carpenter by Georges de La Tour was created by Sidonie Lancesseur, using a deep note of cedar wood, infused with verbena, pink berries and vetiver. Grande Odalisque by Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres was interpreted by Domitille Michalon Bertier as a blend of incense and pink pepper, enhanced with musky notes.
The Lock by Jean-Honoré Fragonard was interpreted by Delphine LeBeau using white lily flower and musk, and the fragrance for Conversation in a Park by Thomas Gainsborough was created by Dorothée Piot and features sour touches of peppermint and bergamot in a bouquet of Ottoman roses.
Famous sculpture, The Winged Victory of Samothrace starred in Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Apesh*t video in 2018, and its scent was created by Aliénor Massenet using tuberose, magnolia and jasmine, enhanced by the warmth of myrrh. The equally famous Venus de Milo was interpreted by Jean-Christophe Hérault using mandarin, jasmine and amber.
There are perfumes (75ml, €150/$169), candles (€150/$169), scented soap sheets (€20/$22.60) and scented postcards (€7/$7.91) in the range. All will be available in the new Officine Universelle Buly at the Louvre space on the lower floor of Allée du Grand Louvre in Paris from July 3 to January 6, 2020.
