Viridarium

A beautiful fragrance, constructed and blended to perfection. Gives me the imagery of standing in a Forest. It's a clean out of the shower, foresty, green fragrance. Smells of quality. Opens: Soft floral, green, fruity, soapy, and refreshing. Mid: The scent becomes citrusy after 15 minutes of wear. A little later the beeswax also make an appearance. Still soapy and green. The fruity part calms down. Drydown: The woods shine, green accords, very soapy clean, slightly fruity and powdery. The drydown is nothing short of fantastic. It has No performance issues for me. 7+ hours longevity with a strong sillage all the way. Where: casual to formal. This is a super versatile scent. And can work dressed up or dressed down. 100% work friendly. When: all year, best for spring and autumn. Daytime wear. Who: Unisex. Semi-mature scent. People in their mid 20's and older will probably appreciate this the most. Personal score: 10/10. My 7th ever. It's a Perfect fragrance for me personally. It's complex in it's construction, and has distinct stages on my skin, that evolve seamlessly, but noticeably. I got a bottle after sampling it, and it's one of my most used fragrances. I love wearing it, and i love the way it wears. My strongest recommendation to sample.

This is really a masterpiece; a work of art. It's green and woody with just a faint fruity and floral undertone. The real hero, to me, is the beeswax. If you imagine an ancient beautifully curated garden or greenhouse, I think this captures the essence perfectly. Sometimes I feel like the scent fades quickly, but I have also had it last many hours.

A potpourri of delicate florals and a lingering honeyed incense. Like so many of Maria Candida's fragrances, Viridiana impresses with its delicacy and subtlety. On me it is very much a skin scent, but that's OK as it turns the mind to contemplation. I was reminded of this haunting (and seasonal) medieval song, addressed to the Virgin Mary, by Hildegard of Bingen: "O viridissima virga, ave, que in ventoso flabro sciscitationis sanctorum prodisti. Cum venit tempus quod tu floruisti in ramis tuis, ave, ave fuit tibi, quia calor solis in te sudavit sicut odor balsami. Nam in te floruit pulcher flos qui odorem dedit omnibus aromatibus que arida erant. Et illa apparuerunt omnia in viriditate plena." Which translates as: "O branch of freshest green, O hail! Within the windy gusts of saints upon a quest you swayed and sprouted forth. When it was time, you blossomed in your boughs— “Hail, hail!” you heard, for in you seeped the sunlight’s warmth like balsam’s sweet perfume. For in you bloomed so beautiful a flower, whose fragrance wakened all the spices from their dried-out stupor. And they all appeared in full viridity."

Viridarium! What a name! And what a scent! What is strange to me is that the bottle I got in my hands was somewhat different from the sample I had smelled one year ago when it was first released! I do not know if there was a minor change in the formula or a batch issue. What overwhelms me is the essence of fir resin when I first apply it. It reminds me of freshly chopped up fir wood which actually is a bit strange for a fragrance! Nevertheless it dries down to a very fresh, leafy and herbaceous concoction! After all a unisex beautiful fragrance I would definitely suggest you try if you love green and vivid perfumes!

I immediately got intrigued by the unique notes, but upon numerous trials, I found myself disappointed, unfortunately. With my skin chemistry, I never quite got anything other, but sharp citrus notes and and incensy background. No florals, no beeswax, no sweetness. The longevity is not the best either, the drydown is nothing to write home about. It's more to my mum's tastes, I gave it to her. :)

I am always drawn by conceptual scents. Viridarium is one of them as not only is it a depiction of a Roman viridarium (the one in Villa Livia), but also a transfiguration of it; comparatist scholars would call it a re-reading. The viridarium in the Villa of Livia (Villa ad Gallinas Albas) refers to the renowned, 1st-century B.C. underground painted garden room that simulated an outdoor, sunny, and lush landscape. Now housed in the National Roman Museum (Palazzo Massimo), this, “painted garden” features a detailed botanical catalog of 23 plant species and 69 bird species. Now imagine with me Gentile sit in this museum room identifying almost all the 23 plants - scholar Giulia Caneva provided the complete list of plants that can be recognized in Livia's garden. Gentile's fantasy is piloted by the fresco and NOT by the actual garden; her efforts are guided by her epistemological categories and NOT by Livia's one. Simply put, this is the scent of a garden seen through the philtre of History. Viridarium's backbone is frankincense, obviously accompanied by cypress and a hint of fir; millennia have passed and the fresco images have faded: their colors have lost their original vibrancy and depth. Today, you see them through a smoky veil and can only guess what the flowers, trees, and fruits were like before. Viridarium is a careful examination of an ancient fresco, an attempt to imagine the aromas that might have filled the ancient Roman garden. Contrary to most, I feel tons of rose (rose is in the list of the plants): fruity and juicy, but a little soapy. There is a suggestion of animalics in the background (Gentile did not forget that various animals are depicted). This is well dosed, not overpowering, like the source is afar. Ambrette seed is added to this mix, heating up the composition. And then the herbs; not in their full glory (this is not my beloved Barry Lyndon!); just recognizable if you pay close attention: chamomille and the not listed laurel (bay leaf): fresh and camphoraceous.