Venice: The overlooked perfumery centre

Did you know that Venice was once the leading centre for European perfumery? Nor did I until recently. Until my debut visit to Venice, that is, where on October 10th, 2020, I was introduced to not only a history I never knew existed but an equally extraordinary museum - Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo (Mocenigo Palace-Museum). A famous aristocratic residence today boasting an extensive fragrance section, including some brilliant show and tell displays.

Now, before I talk to you about the museum, a brief a look at Venice the city and its role in fragrance production.

A brief history of perfumery in Venice

According to history, Venice was, in the late Middle Ages at least, THE centre for European perfumery. A major hub for oils, resins, and spices, acquired by merchants during their many voyages back and forth from Africa, Asia, The Far East and the Middle East.

Acquisition of these raw materials allowed Venice flourish as an early hub for perfumery, and paved the way for major Venetian master craftsman of the time like the muschieri (perfumers), venditori de polvere di Cipro (Cyprus powder haberdashers) and the saoneri (soap makers), whose collective efforts were instrumental in the production of fragrance.

Together with Venice’s master glassblowers (the people responsible for designing glassware, including perfume bottles), these master craftsmen had the great honour of creating products for the Royal Courts of Europe. Some were even fortunate enough to be invited to the courts directly to practice their art as real artists. Imagine that!

By the 1600s, Venice’s first perfumer boutiques had opened and were run entirely by the muschieri, whose various perfumed waters and pastes were highly sought after. Next came the city’s hairdressers and barbers, which are said have increased in number considerably at this time.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and today the muschieri have been replaced by the Vidal family, Venice’s most prominent perfumery family. A family responsible for the establishment of first Vidal Profumi in 1900 ( a company dedicated to the making and trading of spices, soaps and colonial goods from Asia) and later Mavive Parfums Venezia in 1986 (an offshoot business of Vidal Profumi, credited with the launch of Pino Silvestre – a brand today known for its signature piney green scent, Pino Silvestre Eau De Toilette).

In 2013, the Vidal Family made yet another exciting leap with the creation of in-house brand, The Merchant of Venice. A luxury fragrance house inspired by the city of Venice and bringing to life the scented waterways of its maritime past. More on that shortly.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, these insights help shape our understanding of the Mocenigo Palace-Museum. A museum which, as cool as it is, is rather lacking in explanatory information. Not that that should put you off going to it.

Sightseeing at the Mocenigo-Palace Museum

The Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo or Mocenigo Palace-Museum is one of Venice’s true hidden gems. A beautiful former palace and gothic building, once home to the Stae branch of the Mocenigo family – a prominent ruling family in Venice, made of up numerous doges (elected lords/chiefs).

Now, here’s where things get interesting. On the surface, the Mocenigco-Palace-Museum seems like nothing more than a period home. A restored residence of fabrics, costumes, and fashions and nothing else. Indeed, the museum’s Wikipedia page makes absolutely no mention to perfume, nor do the first 12 rooms of the museum feature anything vaguely resembling a fragrance bottle.

Dig a little deeper, however, and you discover a fantastic perfume section, covering everything from production techniques to trading routes. An immersive space, comprising five interactive rooms of multi-media instruments for you to look at, listen to and, more importantly SNIFF.

The first of these rooms is a sort of reconstructed perfume laboratory, made up of bottles, stills and other devices used in the processing of liquids (see image above). Highlights include a copper and iron French distiller, and a fascinating scented wall map, detailing the various geographical routes Venetians had to travel in search of raw materials.

A number of those raw materials, including grey amber and animal musk, can be found in an adjacent room, where they feature in a beautiful glass display cabinet (grey amber is no pretty sight up-close, I can tell you that!) In another glass cabinet lie some of the cutest perfume bottles I’ve ever seen. The vast majority decorative in design with intriguing stylistic elements.

Arguably the star attraction of the museum, however, is room 17, which boasts a vast array of essences laid out on a large table in glass containers for all to smell and marvel at. With it being COVID-season, the area strictly off limits, but I broke the rules anyway and went in for a sniff. The 24 essences on show span the entire olfactive spectrum and include everything from orange flower to lavender. Real civet made for interesting sniffing, as did real oakmoss – both of which are scarcely used in mainstream perfumery today due to IFRA regulations (regulations governing the use of certain fragrance ingredients in popular production).

Other points of interest include a perfume maker’s organ (a peculiar amphitheatre shaped object functioning as a sort musical instrument for “composing” perfume) and an empty ox horn (used for storing musk).

Shopping at The Merchant of Venice

Having seen everything that I’d come to see at the Mocenigo Palace-Museum and, with an appetite for further exploring, I decided to visit another perfume spot in Venice – The Merchant of Venice – Venice’s premier perfume store. Albeit one of the store’s smaller shops in Strada Nova (I told you I’d come back to it).

The Merchant of Venice’s Strada Nova shop is a boutique of the highest order. A perfume store housed inside a former 18th century apothecary, where glittering fragrance bottles take the place of medicine jars, stacked high on glorious dark wood shelves.

With over 80 fragrances to its name, many reinterpretations of ancient recipes, The Merchant of Venice is truly opulent brand and a wondrous coming together of new and old. Its fragrance bottles immaculately presented and arranged.

Whilst I didn’t buy any fragrances in-store (shameful, I know), I was rather impressed by a few that I tried, and may return to the brand in future. Espiridi Water, a citrus aromatic from the brand which caught my attention, smells distinctly like Terre d’Hermes, while Fragipani Blossom – a floral perfume in sumptuous red glass flacon – provides one of the most elegant tropical aromas I’ve ever encountered.

Perfume aside, I did come away from the shop with rather lovely rose hand cleansing gel, which, if current discourse on handwashing is anything to go by, is much needed right now.

Planning a trip to Venice soon? Be sure to give these perfume spots a visit. For those looking to explore fragrances by the Merchant of Venice remotely, the house offers a brilliant trial kit for only £30. Bargain!