Catherine de Medici used large quantities of perfumes because at the time, hygiene conditions were not optimal, and perfumes were used to mask unpleasant odors and protect against contagious diseases.
At that time, hygiene at Court was at best rudimentary, miles away from our current standards. People didn’t wash much, and frankly, it smelled bad in the corridors and rooms of the palace, between sweat, rarely washed clothes, and crowded spaces. To combat this, Catherine de' Medici and the nobles clearly overused perfumes to mask these unpleasant odors. They burned fragrant substances like amber, musk, or incense and abundantly sprinkled them on their clothes, their bodies, and even in the rooms of the castle. In short, perfume served as an olfactory cover-up to make living conditions at Court a bit more bearable.
At court, perfumes often served as a social marker, and no one mastered this game better than Catherine de' Medici. She generously used these expensive perfumes to clearly display her wealth and, above all, her social superiority. Smelling good was a way to show her power and impress everyone. The fragrance then became a royal attribute, almost as much as a crown or a scepter. The more she wore, the more she asserted her control over those around her, symbolically marking her dominance with this olfactory luxury.
During the time of Catherine de Médicis, perfumes were not just for smelling good. It was thought that they protected against diseases—plague, cholera, all those common joys. Catherine firmly believed in the medicinal virtues of scents: she often used plant-based fragrances like rosemary or lavender, known for their antiseptic and fortifying properties. For her, these perfumes created a kind of olfactory shield meant to purify the air. Moreover, during epidemic outbreaks, wearing strong perfumes became a matter of survival, not just an aesthetic whim.
Coming from Italy, Catherine de' Medici arrives at the French court with her scented habits. At that time, Italy is at the forefront of perfume, and it is absolutely classy to have aromatic oils or personal scents from Florence or Venice. Catherine thus introduces Italian perfumers at court and encourages this trend of refined perfume that quickly becomes fashionable among the French nobility. Thanks to her, the very sophisticated and subtle Italian perfumes gradually dethrone the more rustic and heavy scents previously used in France. It quickly becomes an obvious sign of prestige and good taste to use these fragrances from Italy, a must for those who wish to stand out at court!
During the Renaissance, it was widely believed that certain perfumes had medicinal properties capable of warding off diseases such as the plague or purifying the surrounding air.
Some perfumes from that era contained surprising ingredients such as ambergris, a secretion from the intestines of sperm whales, highly valued for its rarity and exceptional scent.
Scented gloves were very popular at the court of Catherine de Medici; they allowed aristocrats to mask the smell of tanned leather or sometimes any body odors.
It is largely thanks to Catherine de Medici that the city of Grasse in the south of France gained its worldwide reputation in perfumery, as she strongly encouraged the cultivation of fragrant flowers in the region.
Absolutely! Fragrances and scents were used by both women and men at the court of France to mask body odors, display their social status and sophistication, and prevent diseases according to the beliefs of the time.
No, their use went beyond mere aesthetics: it also included medicinal virtues attributed to fragrant substances. The use of perfumes also served to assert the power and cultural sophistication of the queen.
Coming from the Florentine nobility renowned for its cultural sophistication, Catherine de' Medici introduced Italian practices of using perfumes at the French Court, both for cosmetic purposes and as a therapeutic method, thereby having a lasting influence on French olfactory habits.
Yes, during the time of Catherine de Medici, many believed in a 'vitiated' air as a source of diseases. Thus, perfumes were seen as protective barriers that purified the air and shielded individuals from various infections and epidemics.
Catherine de Médicis favored perfumes rich in floral essences, such as rose and jasmine, as well as amber and musk. These powerful fragrances were meant to effectively mask unpleasant odors at a time when hygiene was limited.
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