Beginning
with the Rococo period, the fragrance museum brings to life three
centuries of fragrance and cultural history. Art objects, portraits and
furniture bear witness to the world-wide connections of the Farina
perfume dynasty.
You
will be lead past an unbelieveable amount of fakes and imitations that
have sprung up over the past two hundred years. To
the music of Carlo Farina (d. 1640),
display cases of blown-glass perfume
bottles and flacons that date from antiquity to the
modern era will be presented to you.
In the fragrance chamber, the world of the parfumeur is brought to
life. Visitors can sample at length the most diverse
essences, if so desired. Detailed explanations - about the extraction
of essences or
the production technique of Enfleurage, for example - give a vivid
impression of a parfumeur's creations, creativity and indispensable
talent. The museum tour then follows a staircase down into the original
cellar vaults, which is where perfumes were produced 300 years
ago. A cedar-wood barrel that dates back to the business's
beginnings has endured the wear of time. A replica of a distillation
apparatus, like the one used by Johann Maria Farina in the 18th
century, exemplifies the artistry of distillation. In excerpts,
pictures illustrate the development of perfume production throughout
three centuries.