RIDING HIGH: Parfums de Marly has partnered with the Louvre to help restore a wing of the museum’s Decorative Arts department, called the Cressent rooms, chockablock with 18th-century masterpieces.
“The golden age of perfumery, the 18th century, also represents the apogee of refinement and the French art de vivre,” said Julien Sprecher, founder and artistic director of the niche fragrance brand, in a statement. “The galleries that will be restored at the Louvre bear witness to a unique savoir-faire as realized by artists, goldsmiths and ingenious cabinetmakers, such as Charles Cressent.
“Participating in the conservation and transmission of that heritage is an honor for Parfums de Marly, as well as an immense joy for me personally, given my longstanding passion for 18th-century French history,” he continued.
Parfums de Marly itself nods to France of that epoch. In 2009, Sprecher started the brand inspired by Louis XV, his passon for horses and the Marly castle dedicated to horses’ well-being.
Palatine from Parfums de Marly
courtesy
“When we began discussions with Parfums de Marly, we naturally found out that we had a lot in common, because the Objets d’Art department presents contemporary objects from the Château de Marly,” said Olivier Gabet, director of the Decoratives Arts department at the Louvre. “The support of Parfums de Marly has enabled us to be increasingly ambitious and to turn this into a project of excellence.”
That department includes almost 22,000 pieces, of which 8,000 — including furniture, objects, tapestries and paintings, from royal collections and royal manufacturers — are on display, due to the works’ fragility.
The renovation will center on scenography, featuring updated decor, optimized lighting, reorganization of spaces and distance settings to protect oeuvres and enhance visitors’ experience. Some works signed by Cressent, considered a father of Rococo in France, including two cupboards, a chest of drawers and a flat desk, will be assessed to see if their condition justifies restoration.
Wooden furniture in the Louvre’s Cressent rooms.
Courtesy of Parfums de Marly
Work on the lighting began in September. Renovations will resume after the close of an exhibition devoted to fashion to be held in the Objet d’Art department, between Jan. 24 and July 21. Then the last phase will include the study and possible renovation of the Cressent furniture. The rooms will reopen to the public in 2026.
Over the three-year stretch, Parfums de Marly will give updates about the works in the Louvre on its website and social media accounts.
