New Exhibit Brings the Scents of the 17th-Century Painting ‘The Sense of Smell’ to the Real World

Image: “The Sense of Smell” by Jan Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens, Wikimedia Commons. Article by Michele Debczak. Mental Floss [h/t Smithsonian] – April 9, 2022.

Four hundred years ago, Flemish artists Jan Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens used the visual medium of oil paint to evoke an olfactory experience. You no longer have to use your imagination to engage with the smells highlighted in their painting The Sense of Smell. As Smithsonian reports, a new exhibition at the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, Spain, pairs the artwork with 10 real fragrances inspired by the scene. […]

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