The Scent of Venice - Noble Secrets of the Art of Perfumery

"To Be" by Police - a Mavive fragrance

(Venice, Italy) Fragrance and fashion have always gone hand in hand, so it is only fitting that a section of Palazzo Mocenigo, the costume museum here in Venice, which is part of the Musei Civici di Venezia, will be dedicated to the history of perfume. With the strong support of the Vidal family, the Venetian owners of the international fragrance company, Mavive, Venice has decided to reveal some of its ancient secrets and perfume recipes, and has reprinted Secreti Nobilissimi dell'Arte Profumatoria by Giovanbattista Rosetti.

Spices in the window of Antica Drogheria Mascari - Ruga degli Spezieri (Street of the Spice-makers)

Noble Secrets of the Art of Perfumery was first published in Venice in 1555, then reprinted in Bologna in 1672. I am holding the little book in my hand right now, together with a companion volume in English and Italian that explains the text and provides some interesting background. The creation of perfumes and cosmetics was considered an art performed by Venetian spezieri, or spice-makers, who, according to Giancarlo Ottolini, were "part alchemists and part physicians who had a sound knowledge of chemistry, herbal medicine and the numerous ingredients (and their properties) that were available at the time" -- the spezieri knew how to take a dash of iris, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon and mix it with some lavender, citrus, orange and jasmine in order to create things like perfumes, anti-aging creams and mouthwash.

Pino Silvestre - Mavive

In the Introduction, Marco Vidal writes:

"The reprint of Secreti Nobilissimi dell'Arte Profumatoria coincides with the 25th anniversary of Mavive and with the 112 years of the Vidal family's involvement in the perfumery industry: Secreti Nobilisimi is a testament to the values that have inspired the history of cosmetics since its inception. For four generations, my family has honoured these values and continues with great passion and devotion the tradition of the art of perfumery.

Pal Zileri - Mavive

In 1900, my great-grandfather, Angelo Vidal, created a small perfumery laboratory at San Stae, in the center of Venice. He began by manufacturing household products, then went on to create soaps, and finally perfumes and cosmetics. When he acquired the Venetian soap company, Salviati, and subsequently the ancient perfume manufacturer, Longega, he also acquired a profound knowledge of their "secret" cosmetic formulae, cherished and well-guarded secrets that have subsequently been handed down over the centuries."

In Technical Notes on the Formulae in Secreti Nobilissimi, Giancarlo Ottolini writes:

In the mid 16th Century, when this book was published, the Republic of Venice was at the peak of its power, beauty and splendour; a city rich in political expertise, treasures and artistic masterpieces. ...Textiles, glass, metals and especially spices were the main products traded in the dynamic Rialto Market, where the presence of merchants from various European and Oriental provinces guaranteed  commercial opportunities that were not available elsewhere.

...Venetian women took great care in making their faces fair-skinned, in the bright colouring of their hair and lips, and in the appearance of their teeth; they used mouthwashes, removed their body-hair, applied make-up to their eyes, and were particularly fond of perfumes.

...It is worth noting that, in 1488, the Republic of Venice already protected and defined as an art the work and products of the saoneri (soap makers), an activity that later became increasingly widespread within the personal care, perfumery and cosmetics fields. In the 16th Century, about forty soap manufacturers were operating in Venice with a total production estimated at around seven-eight thousand tons per year.

Photo: Venezia Ti Amo

Just think: five hundred years ago, Venice was cranking out about eight thousand tons of soap a year, revolutionizing the industry -- they developed the "bar of soap." Even today, you can see the importance of the industry reflected in the names of the streets: Calle dei Saoneri means "Street of the Soap Makers."

Back to Secreti Nobilissimi. In a section titled, Published Secrets: An Oxymoron, Anna Messinis writes:

Venice is one of the cities that revived the perfume culture in the West: its trade with the East enabled it to import important raw materials along with the technical knowledge needed to use them. The analysis of the substances cited by Rosetti gives an idea of how many of the raw materials were of oriental origin, a number of which were already mentioned in The Travels of Marco Polo. ...Marco Polo gives precise directives on extracting the musk from the deer as well as a description of the animal itself.

One ingredient that Rosetti, the author of Noble Secrets, lists in 36 recipes is called ambracan, which is a bilious secretion made from the intestines of sperm whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Now, just where do you get whale bile?  Anna Messinis writes: "As Marco Polo noted, in describing the island of Madagascar, it could be found floating upon the sea and in the sand along the coasts of Somalia, Madagascar, and Japan, as well as being extracted from the abdomens of dead cetaceans."

In the 16th Century, Venice was the Italian capital of the publishing industry, and self-improvement was all the rage. Books were printed containing tips on how to obtain snow-white teeth, how to achieve a face without blemishes, how to get rid of freckles, how to make the face fair and splendid, and how to dye one's hair blond, an activity that made Venetian women renowned the world over. For the men, there was a recipe on how to dye one's hair and beard black. Toothpastes and mouthwashes, anti-aging products and sun-blocks, Venetians have been consumed with maintaining a bella figura for centuries.Venetian descendants even created Eau de Cologne itself!

Messinis continues: "Between the 17th and 18th Century, the art of perfumery spread from Venice to the rest of Europe, particularly France and Germany. Throughout this region there is ample evidence in the sciences, arts, and crafts of the Venetian influence. It is not by accident that in 1709, Giovanni Maria Farina and his brother, Giovanni Battista -- grandsons of the Venetian perfumer, Caterina Gennari -- created Eau de Cologne. As this book clearly shows, history informs us that Venice continued to be a fundamental reference point for culture and knowledge, which included the art of perfumery, a veritable crossroad for commercial interests and trade that still echoes down to this day."

1920s Eau de Cologne Bruno Storp

In keeping with that tradition, the Venetian Vidal family, owners of Mavive fragrances, will have the support of the German Storp family, owners of Drom fragrances, one of the ten leading perfume manufacturers in the world, to help enhance the new perfume exhibition at the Palazzo Mocenigo, providing technical and scientific support. The Storp collection of perfume bottles, or flacons, dates back to 2000 BC and contains more than 2,500 pieces. The perfume exhibition at Palazzo Mocenigo plans to be ready in time for the opening of La Biennale in June.

Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo 
e Centro Studi di Storia del Tessuto e del Costume
Santa Croce, 1992
30125 Venezia

ATTENTION: THE MUSEUM AT PALAZZO MOCENIGO WILL BE CLOSED FOR RESTORATION FROM JANUARY 15, 2013 UNTIL MAY 2013.

Ciao from Venezia,
Cat
Venetian  Cat - The Venice Blog

GONDOLIERS ON TV - Jobs Around the World - Singapore

Bryan Wong & Lorenzo Brunello on Jobs Around the World

(Venice, Italy) In July of this year, I helped to coordinate a television show called Jobs Around the World starring Bryan Wong for MediaCorp in Singapore. We did a lot of preparation and negotiating beforehand, with both sides expressing their objectives clearly and honestly, which created a working atmosphere that was sublime. It was a great experience, and it would be refreshing if everything in Venice functioned that way.

You can read the post I wrote about the experience here:

Venice Gondoliers on TV in Singapore

 

Now the television show has aired, and a video is available over on MSN. It is in English with Chinese subtitles when English is spoken, or it is in Chinese with English subtitles when Chinese is spoken. It is not in Venetian or Italian at all, which, of course, is a little strange since gondoliers are Venetian, and normally speak either Venetian or Italian. In any event, both Bryan Wong and Lorenzo Brunello, the gondolier, speak good English; each has his own unique way of expressing himself in a language that is foreign. It is fascinating to watch them communicate with each other, and how they both seem to know what each other means even if the words aren't perfect. Plus, you get an inside view of what the life of a gondolier is really like. Here are a few snippets:

Bryan: Which is your gondola?

Lorenzo: This one.
Bryan: This one!

Lorenzo: The name of my gondola is Monica. That is the name of my wife.

Bryan: Ay, yay, yay. That is so romantic.

Bryan: To be a gondolier, do you have to go through formal training?

Lorenzo: It's a kind of training that normally takes five years. If you are ready, you will pass to a school where you will learn the history of Venice, the rules of navigation, normally. The father chooses to pass his license. It's a family contract.

Bryan: So what about you? 

Lorenzo: I am the sixth generation.

Bryan: You are the sixth generation?!

Lorenzo: Pietro is the seventh.

Bryan: And your son is how old?

Lorenzo: Eight years old.

Bryan: Are you thinking that one day you would like to pass your license to him?

Lorenzo: My wife and I, we said that we had to use a kind of philosophy. (Lorenzo puts down his oar and mimes a bow and arrow). The parents are only the arch that sends the son to the future. He will decide what he wants to do.    

   

At the end of the video, Bryan says that Lorenzo taught him one thing, something I have believed ever since I was a child:

If we treat our job as a job and nothing else, we won't be happy. To be a happy person, you must have passion for your job. 

---Lorenzo Brunello 

I tried to embed the clip into this blog, but apparently it's not possible, so if you would like to see it, you will have to make a small effort and click the link below. There is a short commercial in Chinese at the opening. Enjoy!

 

 Check out this great MSN video - Jobs Around The World Episode 11

Ciao from Venezia,
Cat
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog

Renzo Rosso Rescues the Rialto Bridge

Renzo Rosso & Alessandro Maggioni - Photo Città di Venezia

(Venice, Italy) Only the brave would take on the battle of the Rialto Bridge, and I speak from personal experience. Fashion icon Renzo Rosso, the founder and President of Diesel and founder of the holding company Only the Brave - OTB - has come to the rescue of the Rialto Bridge -- and not a moment too soon. He has agreed to pump five million euro into the restoration efforts in exchange for attaching his brand to the ancient symbol, which he promises to do in a creative way. The international spotlight will be focused on the restoration of the most beautiful bridge in the world, so that Venice can move forward into a rich, multi-cultural future based on hope, transparency, and fair compensation for efforts made.

Cat Bauer on balcony at San Polo 622

If you are a long-time reader of the Venetian Cat - Venice Blog, you will know that I was illegally evicted from my apartment on the Grand Canal at the Rialto Bridge on June 10, 2009 by an Order signed by Judge Maura Caprioli on December 19, 2009 (sic - should read 2008) -- without me being present in court -- that said I was a tourist who did not pay the rent for two months. Since San Polo 622 has been my legal residence since 1999, and I have a carta di soggiorno (sort of like a Green Card) and I have overpaid the rent by more than 63,000 euro, this is easily proven to be false, and it is puzzling why, to this day, I have not been able to present my case in court. 

Megan H. Jones (Center)

On June 24, 2009, US State Department consular agent Megan H. Jones called the Polizia di Stato at San Lorenzo, the station where I was attempting to file a police report. Megan Jones, shockingly, told the police to force me into the hospital -- the Carabinieri had already made such an attempt on August 7, 2008, after being called by Emilio Farinon, the co-owner of Taverna del Campiello Remer at the time, so this was not an idle threat. The Polizia di Stato refused to do such a thing. Much later I discovered that around the same time, my family in the United States had been contacted by the US State Department and told that I had been arrested (not true), was mentally unstable, and that they should come to Venice to take me back the USA. This false story was reinforced by former attorney Sara Jane Boyers in Los Angeles, someone who for years had been posing as my friend, making numerous trips to Venice and inviting me to stay at her house in Los Angeles, saying that she was a writer-turned-photographer.

Sara Jane Boyers

I went back inside my apartment at the end of November, 2009, and immediately notified the Polizia di Stato, the Carabinieri, and the US Ambassador in Rome of my whereabouts. I remained inside my apartment for about six months, until June 11, 2010. That evening, I was playing music on my balcony, singing and dancing, something I often did in response to unusual activity I could see on the Grand Canal from my point of view on the balcony -- boat taxis coming and going; strangers arriving at the Magistrato alle Acque, etc. Back then, I did not understand what was going on, but I knew that a couple years before there had been a sudden influx of Americans into the Rialto area who were linked to the military. About the same time, there had been a flood of cocaine and heroin into the Rialto area, the heart of Venice, together with illegal construction going up at the Hotel Rialto, directly across the Grand Canal from my apartment. I just found out two weeks ago about about the Mala del Brenta, and the Nuova Mala del Brenta, the organized crime in the Veneto region.

Steven R. Boyers

About 9PM on the evening of June 11, 2010, the Grand Canal was shut down in front of my balcony, sirens wailing, lights flashing. A man climbed up a ladder and in through my bedroom window, opened the door to my apartment, and allowed a group to overpower me, inject me with drugs and force me into the psychiatric section of the hospital here in Venice, leaving my cat, Cleopatra, locked inside to die -- my Venetian aunt rescued her three days later. On June 13, 2010, an incredible story written by Roberta Brunetti was published in Il Gazzettino, the local newspaper, which said that an American writer and blogger had broken into her apartment, and, distraught over her eviction, was going to commit suicide by throwing herself off the balcony. A few weeks later, Sara Jane Boyer's husband, Attorney Steven R. Boyers, falsely claiming to be a friend of my family, wrote an email to my lawyer full of veiled threats and innuendos in an attempt to intimidate the doctors at the hospital to have me diagnosed with a serious mental illness, something, gratefully, they did not do. When I got out of the hospital, I discovered that the door to my apartment had been replaced with a high-security door, locking all my possessions, including my US passport, inside, where they remain to this day. In addition, the outrageous interference in my life by US State Department officials William R. Gill and Megan H. Jones continued.

Roberto Benetto

Recently, on September 26, 2012, Roberto Benetto, the son of Paola Bortoluzzi, the owner of my apartment, and a blond woman I do not know -- not his wife, whom I do know -- physically assaulted me. The blond woman yelled repeatedly that she wanted me dead or to go back to America as they kicked and punched me, trying to push me down the stairs. She said that this time they would win because there were three of them and only one of me, and they would lie and say that I assaulted them. The door to my apartment was open during the assault, and I could see many of possessions inside, such as my heavy wooden desk. There has been recent activity in the magazzino, or storage area, on the ground floor inside my building at San Polo 622, and there is a strong possibility that my personal possessions were moved downstairs in yet another attempt to cover-up their criminal behavior.

The story is much, much longer, but I firmly believe that given the opportunity, I can prove that what I say is true: the United States of America teamed-up with organized crime in the Veneto, in addition to powerful special interest groups, in an attempt to take control of the Rialto area, the one-time hub of the Silk Road, a zone that has been an international center of commerce for centuries; a zone where enormous wealth lies waiting to be tapped. At a time when the world is in tears from the Evil that destroyed the Innocents in a small town in Connecticut, it is time for all of us to shine the light on the darkness, and put the planet back in order. We must be certain the foundation we build is based on the highest principles of integrity, transparency and fairness, otherwise the structure will surely collapse.

Renzo Rosso

With all that in mind, I wish Renzo Rosso, a self-made man from Bassano del Grappa, together with the Only the Brave group, the best of luck in winning the battle of the Rialto. I am sure the dark, outside forces will not leave without a struggle, but with a fresh army of angels arriving, and the European Court of Human Rights focusing its attention on the atrocities that have been committed by the USA, I am confident the Rialto Bridge, Venice and the Veneto will join the world in an enlightened future.

The Rialto Bridge by Francesco Guardi (1775)

Ciao from Venezia,
Cat
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog

P.S. This photo (below), which appears to have been taken from my balcony without my knowledge or consent (that is most definitely my balcony, and that is most definitely my Venetian flag -- I stuck it on the end of a mop handle) has been doctored. This photo is being used by the Hotel Rialto for advertising purposes. As of today, December 16, 2012, at no time since I've lived on the Grand Canal have the words "Hotel Rialto" been emblazoned across the facade. The name is smaller, down on the left. In addition, the center window has been cropped. At this point in time, the hotel is under scaffolding.

Fortuny and Wagner - Messages from the gods

Mariano Fortuny - Wagnerian Cycle - Siegmund & Sieglind's Embrace 1928

(Venice, Italy) It is surprising that never before has the theme of "Wagnerism" been the inspiration for an exhibition, considering the enormous influence the man and his music has had on humanity. Richard Wagner gave earthly voice to the gods themselves, music that opened the portal to the heavens.

"I am convinced that there are universal currents of Divine Thought vibrating the ether everywhere and that any who can feel these vibrations is inspired." Richard Wagner

On Friday at Palazzo Fortuny I felt those vibrations wafting through the air so strongly that I sat on the sofa at the far end of the piano nobile for a long time and wept silently with joy. Mariano Fortuny created an environment inside the Venetian palace where he lived and worked that allowed the vibrations of Divine Thought to permeate the very space itself, vibrations that still resound today. The Fortuny fabric on the walls, the overhead Fortuny lamps, the 46 paintings of the Wagnerian Cycle on display, the books, sculptures, drawings, prints, illustrations, postcards and works of like-minded thinkers, combined with the music of Wagner playing softly in the background overwhelmed me. I sat on the long sofa and the vibrations were like a golden bath washing away the darkness. I thought: This energy is what is missing in the world today. There is a gap. Who is continuing this work? And then I thought, suddenly: This work is being continued by many, only it is being suppressed.

From The Atlantic: Neuschwanstein Castle is now a world-famous tourist attraction. Criticized by many as wasteful and extravagant at the time of their construction (despite the King using his own money, not state funds), Ludwig's castles have paid for themselves many times over in the years since his death. Photo taken on May 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was sponsored by King Ludwig II of Bavaria (1845-1886), the Fairytale King, who also tapped into the same vibrations, and had the enormous resources to create magical castles and bring his imagination to life. The officials said Ludwig was mad and tried to have him institutionalized, as is their habit. They then said he committed suicide, but many, including yours truly, do not believe that for one moment. I believe Ludwig II was murdered while trying to escape his captors.

The physical manifestation of Divine Thought frightens those on Earth who cannot absorb the vibrations, and those dark creatures will do everything they can to suppress it. I wondered aloud about the reason for this, and a young woman told me, "Nothing is more powerful than Love. The powerful on earth lose their power in the face of Love and so they try to destroy it."

Richard Wagner's music also had a profound impact on Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949), which he expressed through stage design, fabrics and costumes. To mark the bicentennial of Richard Wagner's birth, the Fortuny Museum presents Fortuny and Wagner - Wagnerism in the visual arts in Italy, which opened yesterday, December 8, 2012 and will run through April 8, 2013, and focuses on the visual arts in Italy from the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century.

December 8, 2012 also happened to be the 32nd anniversary of the day that John Lennon was assassinated. It is also the day that the protagonist of my novels, Harley Columba, was born.

"One supreme fact which I have discovered is that it is not willpower, but fantasy-imagination that creates. Imagination is the creative force. Imagination creates reality." Richard Wagner

Mariano Fortuny-self portrait

I was a bit dazed when I rose from the sofa at Palazzo Fortuny and started to head toward the exit. A female guide told me that I must go up, not down. I went up to second floor (third floor to Americans) and took a peek into Mariano Fortuny's workshop,  crammed with inspiration.

“I believe in God, Mozart and Beethoven, and likewise their disciples and apostles; - I believe in the Holy Spirit and the truth of the one, indivisible Art; - I believe that this Art proceeds from God, and lives within the hearts of all illumined men; - I believe that he who once has bathed in the sublime delights of this high Art, is consecrate to Her for ever, and never can deny Her; - I believe that through Art all men are saved.” Richard Wagner

Fortuny lamp

A little room on the right was labeled: "Bill Viola. Isolde's Ascension. (The Shape of Light in the Space After Death). 2005 10'33." Ah, ha! Here was one of the missing links! I thought. Bill Viola! I had forgotten all about Bill Viola, who is my favorite contemporary artist. I never expected to see a video of his in a Fortuny and Wagner exhibition, but that is exactly where Isolde's Ascension belonged. I was the only one in the tiny theater that seated four.

By the time that Isolde had burst from the water and ascended to the heavens, I was weeping all over again. I had had a conversation with Bill Viola during the 2007 Art Biennale. Many people were clamoring for his attention, and were shuffling him here and there. I said, "Have you read Carl Jung's Seven Sermons to the Dead?" Bill Viola said, "No, but I've read Man and His Symbols." I said, "You should read the Seven Sermons to the Dead. It's different." Bill Viola stopped short and shook off his entourage. "Get me a pen. Get me some paper. I must write this down." And he did.

 —Man is a portal through which one enters from the outer world of the gods, demons and souls, into the inner world, from the greater world into the smaller world. Small and insignificant is man; one leaves him soon behind, and thus one enters once more into infinite space, into the microcosm, into the inner eternity. From The Seven Sermons to the Dead by C.J. Jung, 1916

Help restore the Fortuny model of the Bayreuth Theater at the Venice Fondation

Richard Wagner died in Venice on February 13, 1883 a few months shy of his 70th birthday. Mariano Fortuny died in Venice on May 2, 1949 nine days before his 78th birthday.

The Fortuny and Wagner exhibition is curated by Paolo Bolpagni and installed by Daniela Ferrettio, and made possible thanks to the collaboration of the City of Lipsia, Klinger Forum, the Richard Wagner Verband Leipzig, and the Associazione Richard Wagner Venezia.

Fortuny and Wagner
Wagnerism in the Italian visual arts

December 8, 2012 to April 8, 2013

Palazzo Fortuny
San Marco 3780
San Beneto, Venice
Daily from 10AM to 6PM
Closed Tuesdays, Christmas and Jan. 1
Full price admission: 10 euro
fortuny.visitmuve.it
info@fmcvenezia.it

Ciao from Venezia,
Cat
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog

Tiziano by Augusto Gentili

Venus of Urbino by Titian

(Venice, Italy) Only in Venice can the launch for a new book about a 16th-century artist cause a near riot, but that is what happened yesterday afternoon at the Museo Correr. At the launch for Tiziano by Augusto Gentili, a small group, including yours truly, was left standing outside the open door to the exquisite Salone da Ballo when we were informed that no one else would be admitted. This was surprising because even though all the seats were full, there was still enough room for us to stand in the back where people were already standing, and the outside group contained some distinguished residents. (One amusing thing about Venice is that if you're late, you're late, no matter who you are, and they will just not let you in. I have seen some very important people refused entrance on more than one occassion.)

Ballroom at the Correr Museum

The panel was chaired by Piero Lucchi of the Correr Museum Library, with speakers Enrico Maria Dal Pozzolo of the University of Verona, Giorgio Tagliaferro of the University of Warwick, and Augusto Gentili, the colorful author of Tiziano (published by 24 Ore Cultura, Milano, 2012). When the panel tried to begin, a gentleman in the outside group began shouting to at least open both double doors all the way so we could see -- only one side was open. He continued to shout until someone made the decision it was probably wiser to let us all in than to keep us standing in the doorway. So, in we traisped, and there was plenty of room to stand without blocking anyone's view.

Sacred and Profane Love

Titian, of course, was one of the most renowned artists who ever lived, and much has been written about him. This new book, "not to read on the vaporetto," according to Piero Lucchi, weighs in at almost nine pounds, 431 pages with 340 illustrations. 

Tiziano by Augusto Gentili

In Tiziano, Augusto Gentili takes a different approach to Titian. Not the usual painter and courtier whose subjects were colorful princes, popes and beautiful women, but a new artist, a painter who reflects and debates with intellectuals on contemporary issues and current problems such as politics and religion, music and literature. A painter ready to break away from Venice and the last Italian dominions, and who addressed the risk of the European dimension. Titian, presented in the context of the history of ideas. 

Tiziano

Author: Augusto Gentili

Publisher: 24 Ore Cultura

Date: October 4, 2012  

431 pages

Italian language 

ISBN-10: 8866480932

ISBN-13: 978-8866480938

List Price: 115 euro 

Click to buy

Ciao from Venezia,

Cat

Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog

No One Sleeps

For Cleo



Ti voglio bene,
Cat
Venetian Cat -The Venice Blog