FLASKS AND POMANDERS: FRAGRANCE AS PROTECTION

In the Middle Ages, these sacred and therapeutic roles persisted. Parish priests grew aromatic herbs in their gardens and used their essential oils to treat patients during epidemics such as the Great Black Death of 1347.
To protect themselves, new accessories appeared: “amber apples.”

The House of Fragonard possesses one of the richest and most comprehensive collections of pomanders and “scent boxes.” The difference between the two terms lies in the fragrant substance they contained: ambergris for pomanders and various scented materials for scent boxes.
These small objects, often divided into sections, held dried fragrances or small scented sponges in various scents. Intended primarily for the social elite—as they were crafted like genuine jewelry—they were worn on a belt, as a pendant, or held in the hand.

Pomanders No. 6 and 7 are magnificent examples of this: pear-shaped, they were designed to be worn on a belt or as a long necklace thanks to the small chain that comes with them. They open in several places: at the bottom to hold a scented sponge, and at the small knobs to hold other solid scents such as ambergris or musk. Much more than mere ornaments, they served as a protective barrier against unpleasant odors. Indeed, according to theories of the time, diseases spread through miasmas—that is, strong odors—and breathing in the scents emanating from the pomander protected its owner.

It was around 1370 that the first alcohol-based perfumes appeared. They were called “perfumed waters.”
During this period, there was also a growing aversion to bathing, as the belief spread that water was a source of contagion. As a result, people washed less and less, and these early perfumed waters served as a substitute for hygiene, masking dirt and eliminating unpleasant odors.

Queen Elizabeth of Hungary inspired the original name of these perfumes: “Eau de Hongrie.”
Its composition consisted of extracts of rosemary, lavender, rose water, and orange blossom. According to legend, the hermit who created this fragrance and presented it to the queen assured her that it would preserve her beauty intact until her death. It seems the spell worked, since, at the age of 70, Elizabeth of Hungary regained her health, vitality, and the beauty she had in her twenties, and married the King of Poland. The first perfume in Western history was born.

Come closer to admire bottles No. 1 and No. 2, which date back to the 17th century and bear witness to that era. These 17th-century “scent bottles” from the Bernard Perrot workshop in Orléans are made of blown and molded glass. On one side, they feature three fleurs-de-lis surmounted by the royal crown, and on the other, three hearts. This iconography may allude to the motto of the Orléans coat of arms: “It is through this heart that the lilies bloom.”

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