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· January 12, 2008 7:57 AM by
Audrey_H
· January 12, 2008 5:50 PM by
Dain
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Posted by Dain, Saturday, January 12, 2008 4:54 AM (Eastern)
I hope you don't mind my making the comparison with Tubéreuse Criminelle (fragrances and paintings). Why such a weird pairing? There is both a focus on one note, amplified to an almost blinding degree, like mounds of caviar in a Hollywood movie. Both Ambre Sultan and Tubéreuse Criminelle are extremely luxurious, and perhaps a little bit vulgar.
The Dutch masters had a slightly different take on the Renaissance from the Italians. They were devout Protestants, living in sobriety and the thinner sunlight of the north. A bit of all that is reflected in Jan van Eyck's The Wedding of Arnofini. It's still sex, but sanctioned by God, not hedonism. And it allows reality to creep in and mar what is otherwise perfect: the figures lack the idealized beauty of The Venus of Urbino, still, the background is painted with meticulous precision. The mirror in the background reflects the couple in the center as well as (many believe) van Eyck himself.
In spite of their differences, it is nevertheless obvious that they belong to the same movement. You would not confuse them with, say, Andy Warhol. And furthermore, it is interesting to note that both Holland and Italy, in the time of their respective Renaissances, were great merchant powers, and rich men made a display of their power by patronizing artists (previously, only nobles commissioned art). This is what I mean by "a little bit" vulgar, but we have much to thank them.
And the perfume? Amber, itself, all its forms into one bottle: the fossilized brittleness, the rich and honeyed sweet warmth, a hint of the sap and wood of the tree, and even, most incredible of all, crystallized light. Most perfume fanatics, professional (Frédéric Malle) and amateur (myself), believe this is the finest of all ambers.
Labels: perfume reviews, serge lutens
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January 12, 2008 7:57 AM,
Van Eyck.. one of my favorites. The Arnolfini painting is så full of symbols; fidelity, fertility, trust.. Seeing this one IRL in London was really a great experience. (Nearly as good as seeing Rembrandts De Nachtwacht in Rijksmuseum, which is probably the biggest "art shock" of my life. Completely took my breath away.)
Tre mirror in the Arnolfini painting is a stroke of genius! Van Eyck was clever.
January 12, 2008 5:50 PM,
Me too. Michelangelo is my favorite artist, but as a whole, the Dutch masters just can't be beat.
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