Atlas of Perfumed Botany

A cartography of fragrance that charts the botany and geography of perfume composition.

For perfume makers, each smell carries with it a multitude of associations and impressions that must be carefully analyzed and understood before the sum of all its parts emerges. All perfumers have their own idiosyncratic methods, drawn from their individual olfactory experiences, for classifying fragrances. In Atlas of Perfumed Botany, virtuoso perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena leads readers on a poetic, geographic, and botanical journey of perfume discovery. Ellena offers a varied and fascinating cartography of fragrances, tracing historical connections and cultural exchanges. Full-page entries on plants ranging from bergamot to lavender are accompanied by detailed and vivid full-color botanical illustrations. 

 

Jean-Claude Ellena, the “nose” of the luxury brand Hermès for fourteen years, has been the Creative Director of Fragrance at the perfume house Le Couvent since 2019. Karin Doering-Froger, a faculty member at the Atelier de Sèvres, has illustrated many novels and travel guides, including Atlas de cités perdues and Atlas de contrées rêvées. 
 

Introduction 8
Woods and Barks 10
Sandalwood 12
Cinnamons 16
Red Cedar 20
Oakmoss 22
Leaves 26
Labdanum 28
Absinthe and Artemisia 32
Basil and Tarragon 36
Rose Geranium 40
Patchouli 44
Violet 48
Flowers 52
Jasmine 54
Lavender 58
Mimosa 62
Narcissus 66
Bitter, or Bigarade, Orange 70
Tea Olive 74
Rose 78
Tuberose 82
Ylang-Ylang 86
Fruits 90
Bergamot 92
Black Currant Buds 96
Sweet Orange 104
Gums and Resins 106
Benzoin 108
Galbanum 112
Myrrh and Frankincense 116
Seeds 120
Ambrette 122
Green Cardamom 126
Carrot 130
Peppers 138
Tonka 142
Vanilla 144
Roots 148
Garden Angelica 150
Iris 154
Vetiver 158
Postface 163
Documentation 165