An in-depth study of the idea of perfume and its materialisation.
From the 19th century to the inter-war period, Fragrance and Form: Design and the Culture of Perfume takes a close look at ‘the idea of perfume, and the materialization of an aesthetic to surround and market that idea’.
Andrew Howard, the exhibition's curator, draws on Afonso Oliveira's private collection, which includes notable pieces of European perfume bottle and packaging art, particularly from the Portuguese industry. This is the centerpiece of the exhibition. "Perfume appeals to our olfactory sense, but its materialization is designed to appeal to our aesthetic sense. That's why the objects designed to contain perfume, the richly produced bottles, and their packaging, are the centerpiece of this exhibition," explains the curator.
The evolution of the Portuguese perfumery industry is represented, revealing a variety of companies dedicated to the manufacture of perfumes, toiletries, and cosmetics between the mid-19th century and throughout the 20th century. The importance of their communication, advertising, and media coverage also becomes a premise in this representative and historical analysis, which was essential to the development of perfume culture.
From Porto to Lisbon, including Braga, Portuguese perfumery was initially developed in pharmaceutical laboratories. It was presented in bottles of different rounded shapes, in glass or crystal, with labels featuring floral illustrations and political symbols of the time, such as kings and queens, before the concept of brand identity was recognized.
To understand the concept of how perfume was used and its social appreciation, these objects that have materialized throughout different historical moments are "designed objects that are the result of particular histories and material processes, contexts that give meaning to their being and form.
