The liner notes claim this 208 paged hardcover book to be the “most complete survey of this art, and its place in society, politics and science since Eugene Rimmel’s classic work on the subject in 1894”. In fact the “Book of Perfumes” 1865 published in 1865 was a classic of its time, beautifully illustrated with line drawings. Kennett’s book comes with 10 illustrated plates, the first intriguingly of an Indian perfume-distiller, and also with 7 poems variously gleaned from Indian, Persian, Greek and French classics.
Kennett
traces the history of perfume through its origins in The Far East (China &
classical India), Egypt and the
Nile, and through Hebrew uses covering both religious and magical aspects.
Within the descriptions of scenting techniques and fragrance development in
these civilisations, Kennett adequately covers some of the minor arguments
amongst educators that have subsequently & independently arisen, for
example, about who exactly invented distillation. Pity they didn’t have this book!
Chapters
of the classical world of the Greeks and Romans introduce us, for example to
Latin names for Roman scents, taken from Greek names: rhodium (rose perfume) or
milenum (from quinces), nardinum from Indian nard and susinum (no source given).
The chapter on Byzantium and Islam
introduces us to a world of the
politics and employment of traded items such as spices, aloes-wood, amber and
musk, as well as scent-making technology. We are introduced, for example, on
page 102, to al-Dimashki’s “Disclosure of Secrets” for the process of
making rose-water, which in certain respects, resembles our modern 2-stage
distillation process.
Chapters
on Renaissance expansion and the spice-pirates, includes much information on the
influence of Italian aristocrats, the role of the monasteries and Venetian
customs, and gives way to perfumes from Paris and the rise of French perfumery.
I find this an interesting book, poor in places on technical matters. The disappointing final chapter on The Fragrance Industry, and poor earlier references to the development of the classic chypre, an slight appreciation of the nature of raw materials could be mentioned as examples of where the book could have been beefed up. The book is really aimed at a general interest level, it is definitely worth possessing and reading, but I would not imagine that the test of time will eventually give it the accolade of being either definitive (as the sleeve notes suggest) or particularly authoritative. It is what it is…..err…..not bad!
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© 2001 by Tony Burfield
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