The Fall of Man – Henrik Goltzius (1616)
Olfactive Creationism – The idea that the art of perfumery begins with the creation of synthetic materials (i.e Coumarin, Vanillin), denying any prior scent history.
According to strict interpretations of Biblical texts, Intelligent Design teaches that all life springs from the union of Adam and Eve (see the Book of Genesis). Created in God’s image, they are the mother and father of all mankind. Stemming from that logic, Creationists believe that we are all part of one great big incestuous family, living in a world that’s roughly 3000 years old. Furthermore, cavemen walked with dinosaurs, and Darwin’s theories of evolution are simply a lie promoted by Satan to help deny the existence of God. Science and archaeology be damned. A convenient myth upheld by religious institutions to help maintain relevance in the modern world.
Similarly, Olfactive Creationism teaches that all perfume springs from the union of Naturals and Synthetics (beginning with the creation of Houbigant’s Fougére Royale in 1882). Hence, the works of perfumers such as Giovanni Maria Farina (Napoleon’s perfumer) or Jean-Louis Fargeon (Marie Antoinette’s perfumer) are not really true “perfume” because their formulations consist only of natural materials. The theory of Olfactive Creationism focuses purely on the composition of materials in the bottle, casting aside the historic evolution of fragrance usage and intent.
This version of fragrance history promoted by Olfactive Creationism is reductive and flawed. It diminishes the importance of fragrance in Eastern and Arabic cultures, civilizations responsible for advancements in processes used to extract fragrance materials (variations of which are still used today in the production of both naturals and synthetics). It also whitewashes the history of how we came to obtain many of the ingredients popular in modern perfumery (remember the Spice Wars and the Dutch massacres in Southeast Asia?). In “Fragrance: The Story of Perfume from Cleopatra to Chanel,” Edwin T. Morris writes:
“The more I studied the historical records, the more I saw that in all major civilizations fragrance was a cultural need associated with magic, pleasure, and even healing and therapy.”
In other words, perfume use and creation has a lengthy and vibrant global history, touching billions of people over thousands of years. The evolution of its meaning, the context surrounding its usage and significance, should be considered equally important to the contents of the vessel. Let’s be proud of having such a rich history to draw from, celebrate the art of fragrance in all its forms, instead of bastardizing it to spin yet another myth that confuses and misinforms. Let’s refer to the post-1882 period as what it is, “Modern Perfumery,” and talk about it in relation to the past instead of simply denying the importance of the road that got us here in the first place.
For more information on how we use fragrance, check out “The 5 Faces of Fragrance” or “How (and Where) to Apply Scent.”
