Happy Friday, and welcome to edition 2 of the Picture challenge! (You can see edition 1 here). Our community project for today: wear a perfume that matches the picture, which is Portraits of the *** Family, called The Family Gathering, summer 1867 - early winter 1868 by Frédéric Bazille, shown recently in the exhibit Frédéric Bazille and the Birth of Impressionism. You can read more about the painting here, and you can see a larger image here.
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
I focused on the artist, who has painted himself into the far left behind his uncle, and who appears to be less substantial, or less defined, than anyone else in the composition. It has been suggested that the painting's subjects are presented like a group who have been interrupted (and possibly aren't particularly pleased about it) while preparing to pose for a photograph; Bazille, then, you could say is "out of focus". Aware also that he chose painting over medicine against his family's wishes, and that he would be killed in the Franco-Prussian War within a few years (at the age of 28), I've picked my old favorite Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Eau Pour Le Jeune Homme for courage and purpose. It also goes nicely with the backdrop.
Reminder: on 9/22 wear one of your "top 10 of fall" fragrances (unless it's spring where you are, in which case wear one of your "top 10 of spring" scents).
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2017, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Had to try my sample of T’if from recent Ormande Jayne order. Nice but very faint. I used most of the bottle too.
Tangent-I think that painting may have traveled to SF in recent years. We have had several variations on impressionists in special exhibits. I recall the note about him dying not long after. I love our fine arts museums here! The Legion of Honor is on the cliffs on the west edge of the city. You can see beautiful paintings and then have lunch in the cafe and sit outside and listen to waves and fog horns. It is so beautiful that there has never been a weekend when I have visited that someone is not getting their wedding photos done with the museum in the background.
I loved visiting the Legion of Honor and its surroundings! The Pacific ocean lapping against cliffs topped with lush vegetation..
You are making me miss San Francisco 🙂
Most recently was Degas and the Millinery trade. My sister was a milliner so I saw it with her and went back 2 m ore times. They have been getting great exhibits. I love the building too. The “new” de Young (several years old now) is too modern in architecture for me, but they have great exhibits too.
The Legion is a duplicate of a building in Paris.
Yes but SF is 20 miles away and Paris is beyond my paycheck even if I did stop spending on perfume 🙂
I chose Eiderantler by January Scent Project. The scent is green, aromatic and woody, which sounds like the smells one would experience in the photo.
I also wanted something soft and soothing as someone stole my brand new lawnmower from my yard at some point yesterday. $600.00 down the tubes.
Oh no! That’s terrible!!
That’s awful! So sorry that happened to you.
How awful! People who steal are the worst!
Eiderantler is my favorite from that line- you smell great.
So sorry about your lawnmower. Maybe they will use it and you’ll find it back on your lawn in a few days???
How awful!! I’m so sorry to hear about your lawnmower! I had some friends that this sort of happened to – they had a nice bike stolen one afternoon, and later that evening a bike was returned… but it was not their bike! So I guess the thief had sort of a conscience? Regardless, I hope you catch the thief. Who steals a lawnmower?!?
Oh that’s awful! Crossing my fingers that you recover it.
Wow. That’s low. I hope you find it and the thief.
oh no, that’s horrible!!! I’m so sorry.
Oh, I’m so sorry that happened to you!
What!!! That’s awful 🙁 I hope the scent is as soft and soothing as you need.
I’m sorry that happened to you 🙁
That’s terrible about your lawnmower.
Yikes! Hopefully homeowner’s insurance would pay but what a violation!
I forgot about the picture challenge but chose Une Fleur de Cassie, which I suppose could fit, since it is complicated but pretty! Unfortunately my sample may have gone off (and/or I put too much on), because it’s sort of sharp and overwhelming me! Hoping it will settle down.
Complicated but pretty works! Hope it has not gone off completely.
How funny – I also forgot, but had planned to wear Fleur de Cassie! In my mind (which thinks of FdC as a very sexy scent) it went with the woman holding the arm of the man with the top hat, who looks like she would rather be somewhere else doing something shall we say much more interesting.
But I forgot to wear perfume at all, and now must shoehorn one of my desk scents into the project. I’m going with Jasmin et Cigarette because… oh look there’s a cigarette held by the second guy from the left!
TGIF!
SOTD: Alien
I feel like a real outsider when I look at this painting. The way they seemed to turn to “look at me” with a strong sense of indifference, much like I have interrupted their gathering; leaving me feeling a little cold.
Oh nice choice!
Nice! There is something slightly hostile about how all those people are glaring at the viewer! They’re about to sacrifice more than a bottle of wine on that table, lol!!!
Great interpretation!
I get the same feeling, Alien was a great choice to match the interpretation!!
I like your interpretation. Perfume is also not bad 🙂
I couldn’t quite get something to go with the picture but I am wearing Byredo Gypsy Water because it’s going to be hot and my fall allergies are kicking in and I needed something smooth.
You smell wonderful!
You smell great!
I am doing Vilhelm Purple Fig and Modest Mimosa. Both fit the sun dappled Provencal background and are not quite exuberant, which fits the mood of the family. Though I can’t imagine how one could be grumpy in such a fantastic location!
It that was your back terrace, you’d find a way to be grumpy there eventually, right?
I went with fig as well.
Vintage Cologne Imperiale. Sweet and sticky, full of bright citrus. Maybe one of them wore this at some point in life!
House twins. If I had CI, I would have worn it. I’m wearing Cologne du Parfumeur- classic and subdued.
Gorgeous weather today. We are very fortunate. I spent a lot of last week making sure my mom in Florida was prepared. She went through Hurricane Charlie, but was obviously younger. Luckily, her complex has a generator.
Wishing speedy recovery to all those affected by all the hurricanes.
I chose Silences today because Portia wrote about it on Perfume Posse yesterday and I realized it’s been a long time since I’ve worn it. Studying the painting again, I think Silences fits the scene – the dry, bitter greens are dark and speak to the coming winter and kind of captures the feeling I get of the group’s polite irritation at being interrupted.
I almost bought a bottle after that review (but decided to finish my decant first 🙂 ).
A very generous NSTer gifted me with a bottle of Silences!
I am terrible at these picture challenges. If I had something with violet I would wear it, but I don’t. How could I not have anything with violet??!!! Instead, I’m wearing by Killian Rose Oud, just because it’s Friday, and it’s beautiful.
You smell fantastic!
Yyyyyeah, I got nothin’.
I am just not very visually inclined. Except for colors. I do colors. 😀 In beloved Le Temps d’une Fete for a green-and-gold early autumn day.
I’m with you on this one: colors and not much else.
HA, you are saying we need another Pantone challenge then?
Yeah! I like those.
Chanel Egoiste for the painter’s father who is looking away from the painter and almost looks irritated- I’m imagining he is scornful of his son who opted to paint instead of becoming a doctor as planned. The artist’s life maybe doesn’t quite jive with their Protestant values.
And I love Egoiste and wonder why I don’t wear it more often!
I recently smelled Egoiste for the first time in many, many years, and thought dang, this smells really good! Glad you are enjoying it!
It does smell really good. I’ve heard even beyter things about vintage versions but I’m happy with this newer stuff.
Fascinating choice for the project!
that is a great choice!
I was struck by the tree that looms over the entire party — it’s a bright sunny day but they’re all enshrouded by its shade. I’m wearing Book by Commodity, which has a weird cucumberish opening but then turns into wood wood and more wood. (Overall I’m REALLY disappointed by the line, which is dominated by fresh clean synthetic smells, especially the White collection, but this one is nice.)
I like your tree/fragrance connection. The tree in the painting looms overhead the way families give shelter and sometimes overwhelm.
Excellent simile.
I am improvising with this one but the pucture feels kinda regal or aristocratic at least, so I wear Iris Fauve from Atelier des Ors.
Hey word twin! I was just using regal and aristocratic to describe an aunt yesterday!
Phlur Greylocke to round off this challenging work week. Maybe someone can help me tie it into the CP 🙂
that is becoming your signature scent.
Shockingly….because I really don’t like vetiver as a dominant note!
Agree with lucasai above regarding the painting and going w/ n. 19 Poudre to keep w/ the iris theme.
Very excited for the Swapmeet tomorrow and, per missyl’s request, here is a preview of what I am trying to swap away…Robin, please remove if we aren’t supposed to preview our wares in advance. 😉
1. Tauer Amber Flush Body Oil manufacturer’s 50 ml/1.7 oz spray; approx. 95% or more remaining
2. Tauer Rose Delight Body Oil manufacturer’s 50 ml/ 1.7 oz spray; approx. 95% remaining
3. Diptyque Philosykos EDP manufacturer’s 7.5 ml/.25 oz spray; approx. 66% remaining
4. Diptyque Tam Dao EDP manufacturer’s 7.5 ml/.25 oz spray; approx. 95% or more remaining
5. Guerlain Le Petite Robe Noire Couture EDP 30 ml/1 oz spray with original box; approx. 66% remaining
6. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud EDP manufacturer’s 11 ml/.37 oz spray; approx. 80% or more remaining
7. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universali EDP manufacturer’s 11 ml/.37 oz spray; approx. 60% remaining
8. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universali Forte EDP manufacturer’s 11 ml/.37 oz spray; approx. 60% remaining
9. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae EDP manufacturer’s 11 ml/.37 oz spray; approx. 55% remaining
10. Ex Nihilo Sweet Morphine EDP manufacturer’s 7.5 ml/.25 oz spray; approx. 55% remaining
11. Ex Nihilo Love Shot EDP manufacturer’s 7.5 ml/.25 oz spray; approx. 66% remaining
12. Atelier Cologne Bois Blonds Cologne Absolue manufacturer’s 7.5 ml/.25 oz spray; approx. 90% remaining
13. Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme Cologne Absolue manufacturer’s 7.5 ml/.25 oz spray; approx. 95% remaining
14. Atelier Cologne Vetiver Fatal Cologne Absolue manufacturer’s 7.5 ml/.25 oz spray; approx. 85% remaining
15. Neela Vermeire Mohur Extrait decant 10 ml/.33 oz spray; approx. 50% remaining
I am in search of all things iris in return and am looking for spray decants of the following please:
Iris Harmonique
Iris Poudre
Iris de Nuit
Iris Silver Mist
Iris Celadon
Xerjoff Irisss
Iris Nazarene
1996
L’Attesa
Dzongkha
There’s no rule against it, but if everybody did it, this would be unreadable as a SOTD poll 🙂
Ah! I have a dr appt today and No 19 Poudre sounds perfect. I’ve been meaning to pull that one out. Thanks for the reminder!
I am excited for the swap too, you have a great list.
I am dying to get the Mohur extrait, maybe we can discuss tomorrow.
Heh, looks like you are exploring Iris 🙂
Guerlain L’ Heure Bleue. The sky is bright and beautifully blue. I really love it! The people in the painting are somber? angry? sad? under the weather? They might not enjoy each other sometimes.
That is my relationship with L’Heure Bleue. I love it, I enjoy it, but it is a complicated fragrance that sometimes gets on my nerves. It might make my day cheerful or ruin it completely, but I would never get rid of it. L’ Heure Bleue is my beautiful but annoying family member. Always there!
Have a happy Friday everyone!
Love your choice and tie-in to the painting! I kind of have the same relationship with LHB and don’t wear it that often. But it is a beauty, for sure.
Great reasoning! Plus it gets you to LHB.
Hey Twin!
Will wear LHB later to see how I feel. I’m very motivated by your post to see if I can connect with my perfumes in a more multidimensional way.
I try to excercise my connections between perfumes and other things. Many times is not easy. It all depends how I feel about something. But I always have fun doing it.
Twin, although I find L’Heure Bleue one of my most comforting and serene fragrances, and the same can’t be said about my family.
So insteresting how we all experience perfumes in different ways. That is the beauty of it!
I racked my brain all week and had the same thoughts about the painting and I also arrived at Lh’B as well. Since I can’t wear fragrance to work during the week, I will wear it tomorrow as my SOTD.
My SOTE is Meterorites. It was handy after work and jumped into my hand. It has been a long week as my manager quit to take a volunteer position with CUSO in Jamaica to help set up a recycling centre. She will be missed.
Annoying family members you say? YES! Lots in my family.
I hope your work load starts going down soon. Is on those busy days when a perfume becomes my best companion. So dissapointing you can not wear any at work.
I am pretty sure you will enjoy L’Heure Bleue tomorrow.
Thank you! I do tend to overspray as soon as I get home to make up for no fragrance during the day. It’s my serenity time..
Looking forward to Lh’B as the weather has finally cooled off.
SOTD is Prada Infusion d’iris, which may or may not fit the image. Something in the colouring made me think of iris.
You were not alone in your choice, see below!
Hi twin! We smell great. 🙂
I chose L’AP Bucoliques de Provence, for obvious reasons. But perhaps Chanel 19 might have been a better choice – to me all those people have a faint air of disdain, as if the artist just showed up and they’re thinking, “Father told us this painter fellow would be coming here to paint us, but we really didn’t think he was serious.”
I love your take on it, especially the “father blah blah” thoughts 😀
I love Bucoliques, you smell great.
Plus, the father is about the only one that can’t be bothered to turn and look, ha.
Indeed!
Having a rough morning, my toddler stepped on a tac in the playground.
I picked Frescaessenza for today and for the painting
I had the same feeling as AnnS ( comment below) regarding the painting..thats why I went with a woody citrus that is very unisex.
Poor kiddo ???? Sounds like a rough morning.
I hope the rest of the day goes better.
Just talked to the doctor, and there not much we can do now since I did everything I could, washed with soap and water..but on a band aid..even found a band aid in her favorite color..she is walking on her tippy toes on that foot. My poor little one. Maybe now when I ask her to put on her shoes she will actually do it. Fat chance though…
Now for my break now that everyone is napping! Some MF tea and a good book!
Poor thing. But I agree…fat chance. I was a barefoot kid and I never learned.
Triple strength coffee.
Workout.
Portrait of a Lady.
Both have portrait in the name.
I like the artist’s portrait of Renoir with the odd legs in the air pose. Anyone know the story behind that?
Robin, can you describe your SOTD ?
😀
Carpe Diem.
Peace.
Neroli & orange blossom with lots of spices — very young and energetic and alive. Basically it’s a classic aromatic cologne.
A cologne for the artist is fitting. He deserves notice rather than a hiding place in the painting. I thought of wearing L’Artisan L’eau du Caporal, also citrus+aromatics, for that reason. Caporal means corporal, a connection to Bazille’s military service.
Oh drat, I know I’ve tried it but can’t remember it at all! Brain cannot hold onto the memory of so many fragrances.
L’eau de Caporal feels green and cool from the lavender and geranium, very nicely aromatic. I love colognes so it works well for me, but I can’t imagine it’s a big crowd pleaser. It reminds me of Irish Spring bar soap from decades ago, quite comforting.
This is two days in a row when your workout was merely “workout” as opposed to “extra long workout” — are you okay, Bear? 😉
Thanks SheriG!
I appreciate your concern.
Everything is fine no complaints.
Not looking forward to colder weather, but time waits for nobody.
I don’t wanna look TOO good, do I ?
LOLOLOL
😉
Cheers!
LOL (I’ll adopt that as my excuse for “no workout,” too 😉 )
🙂
The painting didn’t inspire any strong opinions or feelings except regret, when I learned the artist died so young. I think he could have enjoyed a brilliant career. I didn’t read a lot into the portrait, either, thinking it to be characteristic of the time. If I could settle on a scent, it would be one of sadness–for times gone by (for those in the picture) and for the artist’s interrupted life. Any suggestions?
For the name, Frapin “Nevermore”.
For the melancholy air, Paul Schütze “Tears of Eros” or Guerlain “L’Heure Bleue”.
Thank you. I think I still have a little L’Heure Bleu, but the setting is so different from that time of day that I can’t wear it. And I don’t have the others you suggested, but I appreciate the ideas.
Misia? I find it to be nostalgic if not a bit melancholy.
It’s my birthday today and I haven’t gotten into the shower yet and I am currently enjoying Sarrasins. I think today is a great day to stick with Sarrasins.
Happy birthday Dawn!
Many more.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday! Enjoy!
Happy Birthday and a great pick!
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday and many more to come! Enjoy your fragrant day
Happy Birthday and you smell fantastic!
Happy Birthday!
Hope it is a lovely day!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday! You smell glorious.
Happy birthday! I hope it’s going to be a great day for you.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday Dawn! I hope the year goes well for you and you have lots of fun and love!
Happy birthday!
Have a great day!
Happy Birthday!
oh, happy day! I hope it was lovely.
Happy birthday! Hope it’s been a fantastic day.
Happy birthday! That’s a great pick.
Happy and beautifully scented Birthday!
Happy birthday, Dawn!
I am wearing Un Jardin en Méditerranée, because I am imagining the Mediterranean just out of the picture. I know everyone thinks that the majority of the people in the picture look irritated, but just take a larger look at the young lady sitting on the wall of the terrace. She is leaning forward, with her chin in her hand, looking solemn but interested. I have been focusing on her each day as I look at the picture.
I entirely agree. If you click on the link Robin provided you can see the bigger picture (no pun intended) and then they don’t seem quite so aloof, just curious and rather reserved.
She is his cousin, I found from reading more about the painting. Here’s a nice review from NPR: http://www.npr.org/2017/05/31/529539229/meet-fr-d-ric-bazille-the-impressionist-painter-who-could-have-been.
It attributes some of the awkwardness here to the facts that Bazille was still rather young and not a “natural” at painting like Monet was.
My SOTD went along the lines of yours, gardens, as I was struck by the beautiful greens and blues of the scene. I’m wearing Jardin du Poete by Eau d’italia.
Maybe the subjects where just tired of posing
were
Twins! We smell gorgeous!
Triplets!
SotD = Infusion d’Iris edt
When I look at the painting my eyes go to the green shadows on the faces of the two young women in dotted dresses. Infusion d’Iris looks like a green shadow in the bottle and has a vaporous feeling in the way it smells too.
NST, have a fabulous, fragrant Friday! I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s choices
Those were clearly the ladies who left their things on the ground, too 🙂
ha! I hadn’t thought of that. Perhaps they are teenager, the flowers and hat on the ground their act of subtle rebellion.
Well I’m a failure for the picture challenge. It has suddenly turned cold here in the last week, and those blues just make me shiver. At the beginning of the week I blind bought a bottle of Krazy Krizia as a reaction to the change in weather (it wasn’t expensive, but still), and I’m trying it for the first time today.
Ooh, the decade is unmistakeable, and it makes me think of bonfire night (or Halloween on the USA side)! All apples and boots and warm coats and gloves and hats. I feel like I should be wearing a printed or devore velvet dress undernath all this, perhaps for a party I’m going to later.
Couldn’t wear it every day, but it is quite fabulous if you overlook the loudness (and that is one spray)!
Glad your blind buy worked out, enjoy!
I think I have a sample of Krazy somewhere. Tomorrow I’ll have to hunt for it, so as not to be tempted into a blind buy. Glad it was fabulous!
Going with the elegant theme others have mentioned – I chose Misia edt. I imagine the ladies smelling of violets and iris with their cosmetics and silks.
I almost chose that one!!! Ultimately it didn’t feel right for today for me, but it goes with the painting so well. 🙂
Given the conversation about smiling yesterday, I’m going to perceive the facial expressions in the painting as “appropriately serious to the occasion,” rather than unhappy.
I haven’t applied any scent yet, but I might go with Bois de Paradis.
I’m having my very first Coconut Matcha Latte this morning. The flavor of green tea is comforting and familiar to me from my childhood (mum is from Japan), but it never occurred to me to add coconut milk. It’s kinda tasty, in that “half-caff-extra-foam-skim-milk-with-a-pump-of-salted-caramel” way.
Completely forgot about the upcoming swap and split meets! Timing is wrong for the swap, but if anybody has their eye on the Cire Trudon scents, I very nearly bought the coffret this morning, and it would take much less than a nudge (a sideways glance oughta do it) for me to enter into a split.
I had the same idea. I really only want Mortel out of the coffret…
I plan to do a Bruma split 😉
That one is my favorite.
I like Bois de Paradise and keep checking the brand’s site for smaller bottles 🙂
SOTD is Teo Cabanel “Lace Garden”.
Top: ylang-ylang and lemon;
Mid: tuberose, jasmine, orange blossom and magnolia;
Base: vanilla, woody notes, benzoin and powdery notes.
It’s what you’d expect (or at least, what I’d expect) from a Teo Cabanel white floral: nicely made, subtle, feminine and only medium lasting powers. The lemon adds a welcome fresh feel.
You are reminding me to break out Alahiiiiine
As if you need a reminder
😀 …
Lace Garden is an inspired choice.
Truth!
There you are!!! Nice to hear your familiar call!! 😉
Lace Garden is very pretty.
Question re: swapmeet vs splitmeet: I have a couple new bottles I would like to split; is it ok if I do a few swaps then split the remainder? Please feel free to delete if this is not the right place to ask!
You may have to wait until the split meet for the ladder part..but Robin is the queen bee so I will let her chime in.
You want to swap some decants, and then later sell some decants? And the bottles are new? It’s fine with me, but I think when the splitmeet starts in October you should mention the age of the bottle. I am sure many people don’t care but others might — I usually expect when splitting something that’s it’s a bottle newly acquired for the purpose of splitting.
Both have been just acquired for the purpose of splitting. I misremembered and thought the splitmeet was a week after the swapmeet. I will only do splits then. Thank you for your clarification 🙂
Oh no, if you’ve already bought them and want to swap, why not? There’s no rule against it. The rule is against offering splits from old bottles.
Because they’re not brand new and freshly opened?
Correct. The idea of a split is you’re splitting a new bottle, that is, you’re sharing the cost and the product. Otherwise, you’re just selling decants. There is nothing wrong with selling decants but there is also no need for us to host an event for people to do so — not least because it is asking for trouble in all kinds of ways.
Sounds good! Though I will still wait til the splitmeet this time 😀 Also- I just realized that the swap/free/split dates are in the right sidebar. D’oh.
Okay – so the rules are what I always thought they were 🙂 (The difference between selling decants and pooling money for a bottle.) I just hadn’t thought about any kind of verification that the bottle is “fresh” versus “opened at some earlier point in its lifespan.” Thanks for clarifying.
My personal rule for splits is that the bottle has to be brand new / still shrinkwrapped. I try to source my bottles at the lowest possible price and may have them for several months before the splitmeet to catch a promotion. I’ve also done splits where I gauge the interest before buying the bottle.
Huh. I never thought to make that assumption, either as a splitter or splittee. Or when buying decants. I have to say it’s something that would never have crossed my mind.
SotD is Romanza
Wowzie this smells good when it gets colder!
And its a bit sinister, in a good way. 🙂
I think a raw landscape painting would fit Romanza (Barbizon, a darker Van Gogh), or maybe even one of the PreRafaelites…), not the pic of today though. I would have worn Un jardin en mediterranee or something like that with it. But I was not in the mood for it…
You smell great! Romanza smells different for me depending on the weather. I like it best on a cold day.
I find pictures mostly hard to match to a fragrance, so I went with colour, and the dominant colour in this painting being blue, I went for the obvious and chose L’Heure Bleue as my SOTD. It’s insanely good.
I guess a few of us came up with the same idea. It is lovely.
Good choice!
I didn’t have a lot that I felt appropriate for the picture challenge today, so I decided to think about the time period and pick something that might’ve existed within these people’s lifetimes. So I dug out my sample of Jicky and went with that. It’s a bit later than the painting, but only by about 20 years or so.
Jicky is perfect for anything, right?
Beautiful choice, and perfectly apt.
SOTD for this picture challenge is most definitely AG Eau de Sud. It’s French, it’s outdoorsy and lush and herbal, it’s for men and women, and it’s just darn good. Bonus points for me: after I applied this morning, my husband was coming into our room. He was like – wow!! that smells good. Then he proceeded to ask if he could wear some too. And he almost NEVER wears fragrance except maybe once or twice a year.
Oh, I thought about it too when I was trying to match a scent to that picture! Definitely lush and outdoorsy.
I felt the same as you re:painting
Nice choice. That is one of my absolute favorites for outdoors!
I need to smell that again…cannot remember it much. Lush and herbal…don’t often see those together. Sounds perfect.
Nice 🙂 glad the husband likes it so much!
You’ve trained him well 🙂
Interesting and creative interpretation, Robin.
I had the same idea as Bear and was going to wear Portrait of a Lady, but today I felt I wanted something different. So I chose the scent based on the overall feel this picture gives me. Yardley Lily of the Valley – lush greenness (look at those trees) with something slightly stiff and formal (check the postures of the people).
PSA for readers of everything fragrance related and especially for fans of Agonist. The latest edition of My Volvo Magazine (Winter 2017/2018) has an article on this house titled “Learning the secret language of scent”. You can read it by downloading My Volvo Magazine app (available for iPad and Android tablets). Warning: the app itself was quick to download, but then you have to open the app, select and download the magazine itself, and it takes a while.
Interesting. I’ll read it later today.
I am wearing L’Heure Bleue today. It’s the first scent that came to mind when I looked at the portrait. It matches the mood and the color, IMHO.
Well our hearts seem to beat as one!
How lovely! I guess they do.
great choice! You both smell lovely.
????
Hi twin!
Hey there!
Totally forgot perfume before I dashed out the door this morning. Luckily, I have a travel size Vetiver Tonka in my work bag.
I think it works with the painting- maybe a bit short lived, like the painter himself.
🙁 what an aptly sad link.
I hadn’t thought of that aspect when I chose my own short-lived perfume, but it fits.
This painting is enjoyable to look at as there’s a lot going on. I especially like the landscape, the green & blue of the leaves and sky.
I’m wearing Calling all Angels which is a stuffy, high-church scent and the overall impression I get from this painting – stuffiness, very little skin and seriousness.
I like when artists put themselves into the painting like this. My husband has one such painting where you see him among a crowd of people.
I’d love to see your husband’s work!
Thank you. I’ll send you a link!
Sotd is Jasmin Angelique. Honestly, I picked it for the name and green color and sharp opening. I suppose it fits the painting. I will most likely wear something else a little more fun for work later.
I read somewhere that women wore jasmine during this period so you’re in the right ballpark.
Good to know. I wasn’t quite sure.
Jasmin Angelique is beautiful!
Thanks! I like it better each time I wear it.
Yes, also a great choice!! I love it & the Angelique really works for the green – and it MUST be France!
I would have chosen & worn Arboke Arboke if I hadn’t lost my sample. The tree gathers around them all!!
yikes!! That ‘s ARBOLE ARBOLE ! Scusi!!;)
Settled on FM’s Eau de Magnolia for today. While I’m sure that’s not a magnolia tree in the painting, it seemed to fit the mood. Plus, I wanted to wear it one more time before the weather cools off.
Happy weekend, all!
I loved the baht gel for Magnolia 🙂
You smell great!
My plan was to wear PdN Sacrebleu Intense. The subjects appear a bit annoyed, like they are all saying something to themselves like “Sacrebleu! When will this be over already!” They also look pretty intense, too.
Unfortunately, my sample has evaporated so I went with another sample that was in the same box: Keiko Mecheri Attar de Roses. I don’t remember giving this one much of a try before but quite like this leathery rose.
Your justification for Sacrebleu made me smile. ????
Haha, oh for goodness sake, enough already with staring. Scram!
I am in Philosykos for no other reason that I feel like figs would be perfect like on a day as in the painting….figs, some cheese, some wine and warm weather….just perfect.
I rather like the painting and do not feel it’s stuffy. I think they look curious and the weather seems so warm and inviting…a warm day in the shade of beautiful green trees!
Oh and also, I got my first paycheck today from my new job in NM….I feel some celebratory decants are in order. 😀
Yay! Good for your 1st paycheck. Celebrate in a fragrant way! 😉
Congrats! And treat yourself..
Hurray for the first paycheck! Sounds like you are settling in just fine…
Yay! Feels like home already!
Congratulations!
Are you sure you need decants? Maybe you should save for a nice bottle of something you really like? If NM stands for what I think it does, you should have enough opportunities to try something and decide if you want it.
Congrats on the paycheck! I wore Philosykos earlier this week in honor of the painting.
You smell great in your Philosykos!
Congrats and I hope the move is going smoothly!
Love Philosykos and also now craving cheese, wine and figs…
Congrats and you should definitely reward yourself!
Looking at the painting, that little assemblage of a bouquet, hat, and umbrella on the floor of the terrace struck me as odd. Those still, aloof, and decorous people don’t seem like they’d toss those things on the ground, especially when there are other available surfaces to put things on. Wouldn’t the hat get dusty? Wouldn’t the flowers wilt? In any case, what is a white peony doing there in what otherwise seems to be a summer scene?
The reason for all that, reading the notes about the painting, seems to be that an initial attempt to paint some little dogs there was unsuccessful and the still life was superimposed. A palimpsest! So that’s what I put on, a dab of Aftelier Palimpsest.
That unfortunately turned out to be a little too appropriate. The phenyl acetic acid in it didn’t smell like sun and honey this morning as it usually does, but instead was a bit urinous. Maybe those little dogs were banished because they misbehaved.
Scrubbing that, I’m back to my initial impression that those assembled would smell reserved and expensive, perhaps like the peony and roses of that bouquet. Wearing MDCI Rose de Siwa is much more pleasant and comfortable, a bit of a relief after the intensity of Palimpsest. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to look too far beneath the surface.
I enjoyed your line of thinking! And you smell lovely! I wore RdS yesterday and it was, indeed, pleasant.
Lovely choice!
Yes, I wish he’d kept the dogs! It’s exactly what it needs.
Clever 🙂
Great idea, even though the original choice didn’t work out for you. I read about the dogs but it didn’t register.
I also like this painting…a lot. The colors…the stripes of the dresses and the dotted swiss fabrics. Were they having a relaxed afternoon and then had to stop and look at the camera/artist, which might have been vaguely annoying?
Then again, I simly like the colors of the landscape… made me think of wearing SSS Jour Ensoleille again because that’s what I’m guessing this setting smells like. A warm, dry day with soft relief in the shade….
Mmm, great choice!
I am commando on my last day in Spain. If I would be at home I think I would have worn Sables as immortelle fits the dust and smell of sunlight on sand. Immortelle also fits the idea that, although everyone in the picture is long gone, a part of them lives on in the painting. Robin can we have an Immortelle community project?
Sables is a great choice!
How about immortelle or mimosa or …? Something else too, to make it a wider net?
Excellent idea! Maybe lavender as another Mediterranean note? Or honey? Thanks for considering!
Well, you could broaden it into a related theme with an extra point for something literally made with immortelle. Like “My Undying Love” if we’re up for a spot of communal bosom-heaving, or “Immortal or just Undead?” for Hallowe’en. :^)
Making an effort to fit into the community project, I am wearing TDC Kashan Rose, which feels like as much of a soft, proto-impressionist expression as the painting is. My blouse matches the color of the perfume (not synesthetically, but literally and to all–most–people; the liquid of Kashan Rose is a lovely pink color).
This has been a long week, friends. I need to sleep more. Maybe I should stop starting projects.
THC has a few that seem impressionistic
That autocorrect is awesome.
*snorts tea*
Ha! Took me a sec.
Working on my Cuir de Russie EDP sample. Going to finish the Beige EDT decant I have. That one is nice also. Nothing to do with the painting. Unless they were riding horses but I don’t get too much leather from CdR so it’s a stretch.
SOTD = Hermes EdM Bleue
We were allowed to wear jeans today, with a suggestion to wear red, white or blue. Since I work for a conservative company, I tend not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides blue jeans, I wore a red white AND blue top and bracelet and blue / clear precious and semi-precious stone earrings and ring. So, not only dis “Bleue” match the blues prevalemt on the paintimg, it also matches my outfit!
perfect!
You pulled everything together!
Nice!
What was the deal with the workplace color theme? *wonders if there’s a civic holiday I’m unaware of*
Yesterday was orange – even the HR person who was part of the planning committee for the week-long series of activities had no clue as to the color’s significance. Today’s colors are more logical for patriotism and we use some of these colors in our advertising.
So wonderful!
You are rocking it Hajusuuri!’
Knocked it out of the park!
Well played!
Thanks, everyone! This morning, I facilitated a video conference with 25+ people (as I have since last Thursday, including the weekend). While we were waiting for more people to join, I described being an overachiever when it came to being on theme and showed off my shirt and accessories. It was a good light-hearted start to our last call regarding the impact of Hurricane Irma; as devastating as it was and many people are still feeling the effects, it could have been much worse. My company has done (and continues to do) so much and yet there are still many with needs and, on the flip side, some who make a career out of taking advantage of the company’s generosity.
You did great! The most important part is that you still have spirit for doing both you work place theme and community project – despite the workload.
I think the picture’s subjects look stiff and haughty, so I am in Diaghilev. It demands good posture when I wear it, and I end up feeling quite uncomfortable and rather like I’m wearing someone else’s dressy clothes. I’ll probably swap it, it’s not “me” at all.
I gave away my little decant of that for the same reason. Too grand and opulent for me. I still have some Jubilation 25 which I thought was similar, but felt more me since it’s more rugged in comparison, though I never wear that either, really.
For me it’s not a question of “me”/”not me” – I just do not like that perfume.
Prada Infusion d’Oeillet. I’m sending some lovely carnation vibes their way to turn their smiles upside down. I hope this family gathering turned happier as this day went on 🙂
Started the day off with Givenchy Neroli Originel, from a lovely swapper from the last swapmeet. Then I saw this post! So I’m in Iris Ukiyoe, which is beautiful, but I’m not sure it’s the perfect fit for the painting. Maybe I’ll have better luck next time.
I haven’t been able to read the other comments yet, but I want to say I LOVE scenting a work of art! let’s do more!
I went with a very generic French connection–They’re in France, there’s greenery that looks specific to the place, so I am wearing Lostmarc’h’s Ael-Mat, which is based on a plant specific to Brittany.
I really like how the transistions of blue lead your eye across the canvas from left to right : first the dark blue dress on the left, then the same dark blue but only as a sash on the middle figure, then the lighter blue of her dress passing over to the pale blue dress on the right, and off to the sky. So, I’m going with blue but also the idea of a captured moment, a pause…an Interlude ( in a gorgeous blue bottle).
I spent way too much time reading about this painting – and I even don’t like it! But since I’m awful at scenting anything, I was looking for inspiration.
First I thought of going with the color (blue for the dresses in the picture or red – since that would have caused the participants of that family gathering to look at me like that, had I arrived dressed not to the current fashion). But then I read somewhere that the way it painted, the painting is considered not a group portrait but rather a group of individual portraits. So I went with a member of another family that seems similar in spirit – Penhaligon’s Portraits. I’m wearing The Revenge of Lady Blanche (from a sample). I like both iris and narcissus in it but it is too fleeting for this collection’s price.
Happy Friday everyone!
Nice choice!
Ha! Clever.
Great work!!
I chose Guerlain Attrape Coeur, which I think is a more serious classical perfume that has a cosmetics violet-iris vibe. I thought it matched the mood of the family. As a bonus, it allowed me to finish off yet another decant. ????
Congrats! After offloading boxes of stuff before moving, and swearing off sample orders (or at least vastly minimizing them) I’ve managed to finish off tons of samples over the past few months. I have a few summer decants I may not finish this season, but I really should. One reason for getting rid of/slowing down orders is discovering how much they are a use it or lose it proposition. I’ve lost tons of stuff to evaporation from season to season.
Ugh, tell me about it. Evaporation is such a bummer
Good morning, NST. I’m late again–I slept long and heavily and I feel wonderful! What I’m going to do with all this wonderfulness is merely the housework, but even that will be satisfying, because the mess in my house is astounding. The kittens make toys out of anything they can bat, tow, toss, pounce on, wrap themselves in, or fight with. When they get bored, they abandon that love object and find something new. I’d be ashamed if a visitor stopped by before I finish de-messing the house.
I’m contemplating all this domestic activity wearing TF Vetiver Babylon from a sample Kanuka just sent me. I love it: it’s fresh and crisp and interesting. I haven’t looked up the notes, but it strikes me has a juicy, slightly, very slightly, sweet citrus (orange? mandarin?) with a deep vetiver base, perfect for the activities of my day. Speaking of those activities, time has marched on without me, and I’d better go and catch up with the passing hours. Be well, all. Stay safe and fragrant.
You’ve got Gaynor to thank for that well traveled sample. The sun is shining today-hurray! Have a nice weekend.
A long and heavy sleep is a wonderful, restorative, and often elusive thing. May you experience another soon.
I envy you that sleep. Vetiver Babylon sounds wonderful. I liked Atelier Cologne’s Vetiver Fatal, which has similar notes, but it disappeared from my nose in less than an hour.
I decided that the people in the painting weren’t irritated, but just having a serious moment on a nice day, so will be wearing a spot of Ninfeo Mio as soon as I finish my breakfast. That always seems appropriate for blue sky and green trees.
Happy Friday, NST!
Ugh, I just accidentally erased my post before I finished! So, here goes again… My idea was to go pretty literal and scent the painting with something appropriate not only to the visual effect but also to the setting and subjects. So, a cologne…a French cologne. Violà: Guerlain Eau de Cologne Impéiale! The herbal notes fit the greenery of the terrace and background, and the fragrance was already in existence at the time (and likely in financial reach of Bazille’s well-off family). Unfortunately, I don’t actually have it, so I’m in a modern-day substitute: MFK Petit Matin.
Take care, all, and have a lovely weekend!
LOL, I was about to ask you where you got Eau de Cologne Imperiale!
I really like this painting. I do wish he’d left the dogs in it rather than that odd collection of objects, and I’d I lived back then I’d covet that gorgeous blue dress.
I went with PdE Osmanthus Interdite; the combination of fruit and floral and tea seemed appropriate.
Not really participating, and somewhat perplexed by people’s responses to the painting. Started the early morning with Prada Infusion Vetiver, then dabbed on a bit of Fendi Palazzo, then headed out for an appointment (that ended up taking 2 hours for a 10 minute consult 0_0) sprayed down in No 19 Poudre. I hadn’t really thought about the similarities between the Prada Infusions and 19 Poudre, but there’s a strong connection. I’d also forgotten how gorgeous the Poudre opening is.
Surprisingly I can still smell the Prada quite strongly on one arm, but I’m ready to spritz something else. I’ve done a few swaps over the past few weeks and have many many gorgeous new things to douse myself in.
Looking forward to next week’s much more straightforward community project 🙂 Happy Friyay, all!
Late today! Things were busier than I expected, and only now are quieting down.
Lots of interesting discussion on here yesterday. I’m on Team Lavender for culinary use, but I can’t quite get it in perfume as a major focus. As for the smiling: I thought back to old family photos I had seen ages ago. The ones taken in the 1920s and 1930s have people posing with somber or serious expressions. I don’t see smiling in those old pictures until after World War 2; 1950s and 1960s. So from my own personal observation, smiling as a default expression for Americans is a post-war thing.
Which brings me to the picture for today’s community project. The expressions on the subjects’ faces remind of the pre-World War 2 photos in my family. A different time, and different mores. The SOTD for this was an easy pick (for me): AG Nuit Etoille EdP.
Either of the Nuits Etoille would have worked. The EdT would have echoed the background scenery with its herbal notes, while the EdP could be a whiff of an afternoon repast which is somewhere off scene with its juicy citrus notes and spices.
Also forgot to mention the blue bottle of the older Nuit Etoilee. That did figure into my thinking.
Ha! I was originally going to wear Nuit Etoilee EDT for blue bottle.
Hey all! Hope it’s been the best day!
I think you all had better ideas on the portrait. I’ve got nothing.
Using up the rest of a decant of Hermes Rhubarb Escalarte. Love that opening zing that makes me think of the warmth and joy brought by sunshine! Simple scent but it makes me happy every time – so I think I need a decant.
Wondering Robin- what time does the swap meet open in the am?
That is one of my favourite instant-pick-me-up scents. You smell lovely 🙂
I will shoot for 10-11 am. Don’t shoot me if I’m late, it’s Saturday 🙂
I have really enjoyed thinking about the painting and reading everyone’s reactions and choices. I look forward to another painting/scent match-up! I ended up not really participating today – wore Adjatay and try as I might, I can’t really come up with any contrived connections 🙂 Hope everyone has a great weekend!
I went with the green backdrop and the “late summer” part of the title, and am wearing Hermes Un Jardin en Mediterranee. (Some ripe figs had fallen from a tree in the “Mediterranean” garden of a museum I visited just a couple of weeks ago.) I reapplied a few hours ago, after a shower, and while it is a warm, fruity fig on a warm day, it is quite green on a chilly evening. It has also faded to almost nothing already, which is why I have still not put it on my FB list, despite the fact that I really love it, and keep acquiring samples. I go back and forth on both this and Safran Troublant. I think if my budget was just a little bigger…. Actually, I think I will put both on the list. It isn’t growing the way it was a couple of years ago, so I think there may be room for a couple of short-lived beauties. Happy late summer/early winter weekend, everyone.