Leonardo da Vinci and the Perfumes of the Renaissance

An olfactory approach to da Vinci’s work through the smells of his materials and his years spent living in Tuscany

This exhibition catalog is a journey into the perfumes of the Renaissance through the daily life of Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519). The 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 catalog features reconstitutions of objects designed by Leonardo, such as an alembic or the famous amber necklace from The Lady with an Ermine.