It's Friday and National Chocolate Chip Day, plus the International Day of Families and Peace Officers Memorial Day. Birthdays: Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, L. Frank Baum, Katherine Anne Porter, Richard Avedon, Jasper Johns. Our community project for today is the Picture Challenge, edition 11: choose a fragrance based on the Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck.* As usual, you are free to be as farfetched as you like in your fragrance choice...or go literal: her dress is green, they are both wearing animal fur, there are oranges on the chest and windowsill, and cherries on the tree outside the window, etc etc. Thank you to Calypso for the suggestion!
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.
For Ms. Arnolfini's green wool dress, I'm in Hermès Vetiver Tonka. The vetiver is a decent enough match with the color, and some of you may remember that when the first four Hermessences launched, each was matched with a fabric, and Vetiver Tonka was meant to suggest wool.
Reminder: 5/23 will be Recommendation Friday...recommend a favorite song, show, movie or book (or any form of entertainment, really) and match a scent to your pick, or to one of the characters, or whatever. Adapted from a recommendation by therabbitsflower.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2026, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
*Extra reading: The many questions surrounding Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait at JSTOR (this article has many useful close ups of the painting); The Arnolfini Portrait: Theories, Interpretations, and Analysis at The Collector; Hannah Gadsby: why I love the Arnolfini Portrait, one of art history’s greatest riddles at The Guardian.
Happy Friday NST! 🌸
I have not been following the CP this week and I’m wearing Narcisco White Cube, lotion and perfume. It’s so lovely and it’s been ages since I’ve worn it.
Hope everyone is doing well.
You smell great ringthing!
That lotion is wonderful!
That’s a very clever connection, Robin. I didn’t know that Vetiver Tonka represented wool. And thank you for all the links – I learned something new!
In the morning, I sprayed some Goutal Heure Exquise – its green powderiness seemed perfect for the lady, with her elegant green dress and delicate white face.
Now, almost at 5 p.m., I’ve switched to Hermès 24 Faubourg, for the wealth and status shown in the painting.
(I still have some cold symptoms, but I am almost back to normal. I hope to shake them off completely over the weekend.)
I honestly can’t remember the other fabric matches, but I think Rose Ikebana was silk, etc? And they gave up with fabric thing entirely with later Hermessence launches.
Double points for two great matches on your part!
I’m glad you’re feeling better.
I’m glad you’re feeling better and I hope you have a peaceful and happy week.
i figured there would be many orange scents today, so I have gone with green in Chypre Mousse, the greenest thing I own. Plus I haven’t worn it in a while and I’ve missed it.
Learning about this painting has been fascinating, thank you Robin and Calypso!
hear hear!
Love Chypre Mousse. I will wear it this arvo, after walking the dog.
I thank Calypso too…I learned a lot about the painting plus other random things about the time period. I wish I had taken Art History in school but I didn’t!
I’m going to copy Robin in Chanel’s version of vetiver: Sycomore. I finally did it. Broke down and ordered samples of all the Les Exclusifs line that I didn’t already have in decant form and have been working my way through them.
Today is the first day in 2 months that I have absolutely nothing that I need to be doing and nothing hanging over my head. I almost don’t know what to do with myself lol. Last weekend was my last weekend of teaching nursing students after a 6 week stint. It was kind of fun to be back on my old nursing unit, and also cemented the fact that I will never go back to inpatient nursing. This week also wrapped up another graduate class and the next one doesn’t start until Monday. 3 days of freedom.😂 I am officially more than a third of the way done!
I’d’ve worn a vetiver too today, namely Vetiver Pour Elle, but it’s a cold and rainy day out this way.
ooh that is a beautiful unicorn, AnnieA. You smell luscious.
Enjoy your free time. I hope you can relax in the sun and recharge after all your hard work.
Thanks Kanuka!
Woo-hoo! Enjoy your time off!
By the way.. if you end up in Ulta, try a perfume called Rinse Cycle by the brand Noyz. It’s a very clean skin scent. I thought of you when I tried it.
Thanks!
hmm, I had to look that one up- I do love a skin scent! I see it even comes in travel sizes. No ambroxan? I’ll look for it the next time I’m in Ulta.
Congrats on 3 days of freedom! Could you spend some time with gradtowngirl over the weekend?
Thanks Jalapeño! I saw gradtowngirl 2 weeks ago for her graduation. She’ll also be home for a couple days later this week.😊
Well, I tried and failed to scent the darling little dog, but last night sometime (in a dream?) I came up with the idea of wearing Amouage Fate, and it seemed perfect. I’m not sure why, but (a) it’s luxurious, (b) it’s rich with florals and incense, which seems right, and (c) the whole idea of Fate hanging over a wedding scene just reflected the weighty quality of this portrait, with its multiple symbolic aspects. In particular, if we accept one interpretation of the single lit candle as indicating that the bride died in childbirth seven years later, there is a poignancy to the image that seems to go with the notion of Fate.
Bravo on that interpretation. Well-thought out. and works for me! And you smell marvelous, Calypso.
Thank you. I do still want to come up with something to suit the mischievous little dog. If you zoom in, you can see how incredibly well painted it is–every hair delineated, bright and lively eyes, cute nose. I tried to think of an alert and bright-eyed perfume, but the hairy part got in my way, lol!
Maybe a musk perfume to match the dog’s fur?
A great match. Love the CP, thank you.
We’ll have fun with your selected picture in the fall! (our fall)
Nice! And I join in the thanks, this was a good one.
Hello and tgif!
Sotd is TF Lost Cherry for the cherries on the trees.
Have a great Friday everyone!
Twins! And a good Friday to you too
Thought about Lost Cherry but wondered if it would work in my weather or not. I decided not to take the chance.
Since I have to work today, instead of Infusion d’iris, I am wearing Cheirosa 62. Those are my 2 go to’s for work perfumes. I am working on using up the 2 ounce body lotion and band lotion of Cheirosa 62. I am working on using body products up with some success.
I should be doing that with shower gels Dawn! But if I don’t love them they tend to get rotated out of the shower altogether.
I’m on Team Green today, in Bel Respiro. 💚
Yum.
Most of the time I approach the CP by deciding what I want to wear and then making it fit in any ludicrous way I can, just to play along. That being said, today I’m wearing SHL 777 Taklamakan because the gold cap on the bottle represents the gold edges of the lady’s sleeves and the gold rings she wears mid digit as was the style back in the 1990’s. She was ahead of her time in her sartorial splendor. A very hip chic! Also, the curve of the cap is reminiscent of the curve of her very high forehead.
She apparently had a very short life, like so many women of child bearing age back in the day, and I fervently hope she was happy in her life and marriage before she died. Just think how many women could have been saved with proper cleanliness and some antibiotics…I’m a hopeful believer that at the moment of death, one’s brain lights up like an electrical storm with happy memories and experiences as one goes space trucking…
Rest in peace ma’am, and I hope your husband wasn’t an 🍑🎩.
Y’know, the husband looks like he could be that, but I’ve decided to go with the theory that the painting was done after the poor lady’s death and he just looks so dour because he’s sad and misses her.
I read a blurb somewhere (the national gallery site maybe?) that there was a lot of “painting over” of many things in the portrait. The most noticeable (not sure how they know this but if there’s any art historians around they could probably explain) is that the Mister was painted over more than once and that the current view of him was the most flattering. He was deemed “very odd looking” in the under paintings…🙃
X-rays can show previous versions, and maybe other sorts of imaging techniques. Oh my, to think THIS is the flattering version…. sigh….
My thoughts exactly. 🙄
That is what I was hoping…he was in mourning.
I hope you are right about the happy memories.
TGIF! Ambre Précieux 🥰 🚂
All aboard!
Like SheriG, have chosen to focus on the green dress and am in Scherrer. It punches way above its reasonable price point.
Excellent.
What could be greener?😀. You smell wonderful of course.
I chose Bois des Iles for all the wood and the general tone of the painting. I’ve so greatly enjoyed learning more about this work of art this week. Many thanks for the link to the YouTube video on the green dress, and to hilarious Hannah Gadsby article.
Hope everyone is having a lovely Friday!
Which version of BdI do you have?
I have the EDP and the parfum. Today I wore the EDP.
I’m thrilled for Montreal’s victory in last night’s hockey game! However, I’m feeling incredibly sleepy right now. 😴
By the way, how many coffees are allowed? Daily allowance? 😂
I get zero points- I am on Beige today
Beige is beautiful. Congratulations on your team’s win!
Beige was my wedding perfume
Triple-strength coffee is what you should be having!
Beige matches the color of the fur on her sleeves!
Nice match Robin. I’m wearing Jicky because, despite the wealth of the couple there is something austere about their lifestyle and living arrangements…no gold-plated taps, no super-yacht floating in a canal, no diamond collar on the dog, no wedding in Venice.
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/van-eyck-the-portraits
By the way, the National Gallery ( London) is housing a major exhibition of Van Eyck’s portraits later this year
Oh, wish I could see that. Not happening though.
So useful to know in advance, thank you Kanuka, I plan to go.
This made me laugh, thank you.
For community points I’m unimaginatively wearing CSP Vanille Orange, an incredibly rare limited edition that was released as part of a trio for Christmas one year: one of them, Vanille Banane, was resurrected, but the other two (the third was Vanille Freesia) vanished, never to be seen again. It’s sort of a miracle that I even have this.
Imagination not required, plus, great choice. Maybe they’ll bring that one back.
Jardins de Misfah for today.
I love this one and have never bought a full bottle. Maybe that will change.
Getting packed to head to Santa Fe to meet my sister.
Good weather and 😎 good vibes are in order.
🤞you get the weather and vibes! Have fun!
Have a fantastic time with your sister!
I always felt that this painting was quite unsettling and perfume-wise, I wanted to pick up something that had strange medieval vibes and smelled of old wooden furniture and candle lit rooms so I went with LVNEA Vanitas, an all natural perfume on theme of transience. To quote their own description: “ A candle-lit portrait of delight and shadows, still life and snuffed spirits”, and “scent of leatherbound tomes over a base of antique wood” thanks to its long list of notes that include fruit, incense, osmanthus, labdanum, cedar, benzoin, orris root and bread notes… and more. If it all sounds like a hot mess, it is not, it’s actually a very coherent and streamlined scent. Imagine a sinister version of Mitsouko, without any hint of fluffy sweetness, and with a very ancient and lived in feel.
I got a bottle of Vanitas last year and fell head over heels in love with it only to discover it was a limited edition, but as it happens LVNEA just announced that they will re-release it –
on the occasion of nomination for the 12th edition of the Art and Olfaction Awards in the Artisan category – and it’s available for pre-order right now on their website.
Wow, I think you’re on your way to earning some enabler points with that description!
I second this!
Mitsouko has absolutely zero sweetness on me. I’m not sure I would want to try a more severe version of it.
I love Mitsouko, especially in vintage extrait, but it does sometimes register as too sweet in the drydown. LVNEA Vanitas and Hindu Kush from La Via Del Profumo are the two perfumes that cover that resinous, and what Luca Turin calls “floor-wax-and-church-incense” part of Mitsouko without any hint of vanilla, and I’m all for it.
I wore Fleurs d’Oranger not just for the orange flowers but for the woody notes that seem to match a painting with so much probably expensive wood in it.
Oh I wish I would have thought of that!
SOTD = Bvlgari Black
Lovely! Not floral by an any means!
In other news, here’s an article from the Wall Street Journal regarding how to search for the best e-cars. I still don’t trust the fully electric ones but I can be persuaded to get a hybrid…
https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/ev-used-car-gas-prices-57623274?st=8a1m2y&reflink=article_copyURL_share
With petrol at around $13 a gallon ( and potential supply problems) I think my next car will be electric.
Oy! That is probably more expensive than California!
Black is such a classic. You’re lucky to still have it! I only have one small sample left but I like to sniff it from time to time. There’s something super luxurious about it, but with a nice to edge. If cars existed in Van Dyck’s era, a rich cloth merchant would possibly wear perfume such as this one 😉
We have had an electric car for a long time and once you go full electric, you cannot go back-etric. I can’t imagine having to deal with engine troubles, oil changes and gas prices ever again. Charging when out and about and travelling is easier than ever. I think hybrids can be the worst of both worlds because you are still dealing with gas engine issues and not getting the full electric car experience. If you are thinking about it, just go full tilt!
A win for the all electric vehicles!
Hajusuuri, I am answering your question from yesterday..
My cousin was baptized yesterday morning so that is why we were there.
Wow! Sounds like an adult baptism!
Heh. As long as my beater still runs and my brother can work on it, I am in no rush to get something newer.
And my brother will not work on an electric vehicle.
I don’t blame your brother!
We bought a hybrid about 10 years ago and I will never go back. It’s incredibly hard to get a hybrid, or really any car, here now, but especially hybrids — to buy new it’s a 2-year wait and it’s hard to find used (last year’s saga of the stupid car thief who totalled our lovely Highlander as collateral damage while stealing a BMW meant a long search for even something used and we had to settle for something smaller and dingier but still hybrid after a long search).
I used to say I didn’t think we could go electric, as we used to drive to my sister’s in the States a lot and we’d have to stop to charge. But now we almost never drive there. If we had charging in our shared garage, I’d consider it.
We’re not allowed to have a charger at the townhouse. We do have chargers here (2) and at a nearby mall.
I always enjoy the picture challenge and this painting has been particularly special. I’m still trying to decide whether I want to wear a green perfume for her dress, or a churchy incense, which I always associate with historic times.
Yesterday’s funeral went well, family members shared lovely memories of their mother. I was so pleased I had the opportunity to pass on my mother’s love and condolences to the family.
But I nearly didn’t get there! My flight was nearly two hours late, it landed at 9.30 and the funeral was at 10. I ran through the airport (literally, I was glad I hadn’t worn high heels), leapt into a taxi, and the taxi driver got lost! But I made it with a few minutes to spare.
My condolences Gaynor. I’m glad you made it to the funeral in time.
What a crazy trip! Glad you didn’t miss the funeral.
So glad you made it on time after all of that.
What an adventure and you’ve been a very thoughtful daughter, I’m sure it was comforting for your mother knowing that you were there.
Ugh — I’ve been there, and lost a fingernail over it while sprinting (and falling) up an elevator at the airport to the car rental. Glad you made it on time!
Still rather cold for the season, having tea with lemon. Drawn to gourmands with this kind of weather, this morning Café Rose, 1st version and for the mysterious painting, the mysteriously titled La Danza Delle Libellule, exceptional edition.
What is the exceptional edition?
The original Cafe Rose is very beautiful Aurora. There’s a noticeable difference in the newer one imo.
It’s an extrait instead of the regular EDP. Yes, I love my first version, to me it’s perfect, I’ve never tried the new one.
House twins with you, at least partially.
Hello, house twin.
I’m going with Eris Green Spell because of the dress, of course but there’s also something about this painting that puts me in a bit of a Svengali-like trance. They’re getting married but he’s frightening to look at and then she and the baby have already died….yikes!
I so wanted to post a seinfeld clip here where Elaine mispronounced Svengali but I can’t find it! Lol. She says Svenjolly 🤣
Hilarious! The guy in the painting is definitely not Svenjolly!🤣
I saw some bearded iris in bloom over in Longmont yesterday afternoon while running an errand, and thought of you. Two different colors in two different yards. One was the purple iris, and the other was kind of a burgundy.
The burgundy ones are my favorite – such an elegant color!
It’s a beautiful 71 degrees here.
I’m home from work and about to figure out dinner.
I wasn’t sure what to wear today. I went with the orange crowd, and picked Shalimar edp. My bottle is the one that has oranges on it. I think they are oranges, it’s pretty either way.
I remember that bottle, it’s very pretty!
You finally have some nice weather! Enjoy!
Enjoy your weather, hope it’s a repeat today.
I don’t think I have the OG Shalimar. I bet you smell great!
I was totally unfamiliar with this painting so thank you, Robin, for the links to all the info about it. Fascinating reading! Despite all that, I’m going with my initial response when I first looked at the painting prior to reading anything about it. Like others here and especially DeniseH at the beginning of the week, I’m going with the vibrant green of her dress in my SOTD for the cp, PB Vent Vert (the 1991 version).
Besides her dress, Vent Vert is in perfect harmony with the vibrant green that surrounds me today – every tree, shrub and grass is lushly green on a day that, after some early rain and cloudy skies turned into a beautiful warm 🌞 afternoon. And Mother Nature gave me some special gifts today: finally, the Baltimore Orioles found the oranges and grape jelly we left for them; our Merlin app tells us we have a Scarlet Tanager here (haven’t seen it yet); and the spiderwort plant from our back yard that seeded itself last year in a tiny crack between the front wall of our garage and a brick in the driveway at the front of our house opened its first purple blossom of its second season this morning. All of this says ‘Hope’ to me!🤞
Wishing all a wonderful weekend ahead!🌳🐧🪻
Glad you managed to match the painting and your own IRL surroundings!
Another summer-like day here. Typical temperature is around 70 degrees F. Today it got up to 85, which is less hot than it has been. Also have an Air Quality Alert for ozone pollution until noon tomorrow.
First day of actually giving Teflon kitty her ear goop. She hates it as much as ever.
I am somewhat familiar with the Arnolfini Portrait but have never seen it in real life. The young couple in the picture are examples of what we would now call “nouveau riche”. So I went with a fragrance house that says nouveau riche to me.
SOTD = Tom Ford Oud Fleur EdP, from The Sample Stash. Wish I could have afforded this one when it was around. Oud also has a new money connotation to me, despite being used in the Middle East and Asia for centuries.
I had to look up Oud Fleur. It seems to be a unicorn now. There are so many TF I missed out on.
Oud Fleur wasn’t around for very long. Maybe 2 or 3 years?
Sorry to see Teflon back on the ear medication she can’t stand but it’s a plus that she has a chronic issue that is manageable and not life-threatening.
You smell wonderful!
Marrion Nous by Oriza L Legrand for the project since the painting is sometimes referred to as commemorating a marriage
I’m incredibly late to post, but I wore Azemour today. I do know this painting pretty well but have never done the 10-minute gaze, so thank you, Robin, for inspiring me to do that.
I wore Violet Shot, it was lovely but not very long lasting.