De Profundis

funerary tears of joy. misty haze hangs over pastoral mum meadows, angelic auspice of humility found in asteraceae. ficin-stained fingers twiddling pensively under fig trees. verdant stems as ampullae for unction. agapeistic reliquary of agate, shielding mauve bulbs matching pew poppyheads. "where there is sorrow there is holy ground," declared oscar wilde in his letters from prison. a flower pushing past frostbitten topsoil—at last: fertile land! de profundis nods to both wilde and the impassioned cries of psalm 130. contrary to popular opinion on the fragrance and its namesake, de profundis is far from nihilistic or dreadful. mournful, heartbroken, and wistful? undoubtedly. yet the suffering is not without meaning. translated to "out of the depths," in latin, de profundis embodies the experience of persevering through pain, using it to emerge anew; molted and abluted. while certainly austere, the tenderness of downy chrysanthemum and sweet violet breathe life into once-barren grounds. winter turns to spring, and the fragrance opens with dewdrops and damp soil, unmistakably cold and solemn. violet leaf gently reigns throughout the opening, lending an ozonic and watery quality that violet flowers themselves lack, along with a fougère-like lavender. white snow reflects light in all directions, slowly melting to reveal white lilies and wildflowers scattered in the grass. the mineralic qualities of violet leaf and peat enhance the subtly spiced greenness of chrysanthemum, soft and tea-like, sometimes reminiscent of hay. what soon follows is a ray of sunshine casting a warm glow over a meadow of sweet powdered violets, reminding me of choward's mints and valentine candy hearts—sentimental and safe no matter past heartache. the fragrant bouquet of flowers contained within the glass flacon twirls in perpetual motion: lighter notes of lily and rose take turns dancing at the top, while chrysanthemum and warm carnation wash over each other like waves on a bed of violet. lilies lie cold and creamy, fresh out of a funeral home lobby, fitting right in with the dew, powder, and greenness of the rest of the composition; though managing to retain the delightful iconic, spicy creaminess the flower is known for. the rose is green and thorny, making me feel as though touching my wrist could prick my finger. fresh figs fall from spindly trees, oozing white sap, their honeyed pink pulp insides eager to be eaten. somewhere between berries, peaches, and grass, the ripe mediterranean delight pops is subtle but noticeable, offering decadent juiciness. a hint of incense permeates the base, yet not smoky or dense; rather, it is the uplifting scent of frankincense and myrrh combined. pure resins burning and bubbling, flooding the air with their balmy smell. such beauty, all surrounded by slate tombstones and raindrops! such beauty, all surrounded by flowers and fruit! de profundis is not only light in the darkness, it is light because of the darkness! it is because of the winter that spring is such cause for celebration. "as long as i'm alive, so is my death," says oncle serge. the american listing for de profundis describes it as a "satirical nod to death," while the french site states it is "a joyous stroll through the cemetery. the latter description could not be more accurate in conveying the mood of the satin-smooth chrysanthemum nectar, showing astutely keen awareness of the emotional depth of the fragrance and its inspirations. the indigo juice in the classic lutens bell jar indeed matches the aura of the scent itself: as delicate as bird bones yet as intense as a wounded glare, not totally dark nor light. as the scent progresses further, hours into the dry-down, the creaminess is amplified and the flowers begin to wilt, becoming more indolic as the edges of their petals curl. a tea-party on a wine-colored velvet blanket. songs for de profundis: the privilege by parenthetical girls, a system of pulleys by rise and fall of a decade, decay by twice a man.

Flowers in the cold rain, blooming where time freezes. An elegy for Wilde. This De profundis completely abandoned the fullness that SL was proud of in the past, and abandoned the rich elements and layers. Perfumers try to illustrate the picture of the scent they want to express with a simple structure. De profundis' emotional delivery was successful. This success is inseparable from the mysterious color of the liquid. Lots of pigments. It is more emotional than rational. I think it can be used as a reference, how SL designs perfume atmosphere. De profundis is a great example that implies a point worth exploring - how does De profundis present the situation? Wilde, who likes to read poetry should be familiar, the name of the perfume is very interesting, De profundis, is a long letter written by the writer Wilde in prison. It is not difficult to imagine that the content of De profundis should be more spiritual. At this time, Wilde in the shadow of death. In 1905, De profundis was published after Wilde's death. De profundis is not Gothic. I thought this perfume would be as complex and melancholy as its name and story, but De profundis is so clear. A small amethyst, a teardrop that fell in the cold winter, hangs on the bare branches. De profundis is far away from the hustle and bustle of the world. I have known De profundis for a long time. I had already smelled De profundis before I knew violets, the properties of this raw material. I bought a book. On a certain page, there is a chapter on De profundis. Just because of that. I am determined to find it. The chrysanthemums are clean and cool, the broken violets and carnations are rolled up, and the smell is twisted into a trickle, flowing in the heart. Having been in contact with other violets, I know better that De profundis' violet practices are different from the violets I have smelled and collected. So far, it seems that no one is similar to it and cannot be replaced. The violets of De profundis are cool, thin, translucent and clean. The fine powder forms the base, and the violet leaves are as sharp as metal. In the darkness, a little bit of emerald green is faintly visible. Violet, or... methyl ionone has woody properties. De profundis highlights the fragility and pallor of the violet, and by placing these features in passages that I can identify, I begin to understand De profundis. Pale moon, dark night. Float on the blue-purple water, relax, and let the soul sink, sink deeper, into a lightless place. Closing your eyes, silence surrounds your body. In an instant, all consciousness was lost. A wisp of incense burns, the lamp that symbolizes life goes out. A handful of damp soil, buried under the ruined chamomile petals. It turns out that death is also beautiful. Open De profundis in my memory. The attitude is solitary and extraordinary. Now I feel more serene and subtle, refreshing. Three years later, I have changed, but De profundis is still De profundis. The sad romance of De profundis is restrained. The expression is tactful, but without losing the charm. That's its charm.

I have reacquainted myself with Serge Lutens perfume house after disliking some of his florals in the past . Some were too hard hitting with complex resinous, spices and edgy notes for faint heartened me. However ,in the last two months , I have amassed 7 bottles (and counting ) from his simpler and more linear range . I just couldn’t get enough of his tamer floral scents. Proof there is a market for everyone . SL De Profundis’s name grabbed me , together with the outstanding but rather dark and grim reviews. I wanted to feel the experience this fragrance evoked in others . ( After trying on both my husband and myself , we didn’t get any melancholic elements from the scent ) Serge Lutens rarely provides a list of notes so it’s a bit of a guessing game to what De Profundis contains. With the help of various other fragrance platforms, the following could be a broader list :- Chrysanthemum , dahlia, violets, lilies, peony, chamomile, hay, incense , woods , green notes , ISO E Super and earthy notes On my skin, it opens to a cool, delicate bouquet of flowers - possibly the florals mentioned like the Lilies, violets, even light roses and lilacs .it is smothered by a very potent incense /spicy note ( could it be the sharpness/ bitterness from the chrysanthemums? )which I’m not fond of . It has a chilly feel to the fragrance which could possibly be the super floralizer and the green notes . There is also a very subtle, wet earth aroma mixed in . Chrysanthemums are the core base of this fragrance . The incense is rather sweet , not church like smoke and very predominant for an hour . There is also a lot of soapiness underlying the mix but it’s very pleasant . At arms length , this fragrance is also quite powdery but when I dig my nose into the scent , it’s artistry comes alive . I smell the entire forest on my skin . 💓 As the scent progresses , it becomes woodier . White woods, hay and possibly creamy vanilla with a hint of soap . This is a very subtle part of the fragrance journey . I feel De Profundis is effortlessly elegant, spellbinding and captivating . On my skin , it’s quite potent and longevity is over 7 hours . This is not a diva like floral or even a pure floral . As one reviewer mentioned - the fragrance also envelops the whole meadow and adjoining forest , from the earth to the green stems to the suede, buttery woods . ( how beautiful 💓) I am so glad I got a decant . Just saving up for the full bottle when I next go to Paris . Overall , I have to say once the incense / astringent notes subsided I found this fragrance stunning and very wearable compared to a lot of reviewers comments . That’s a lot coming from faint hearted me . My hubbie and I, both agreed that De Profundis’s subtle elegance and powdery florals made this scent appropriate for any occasion .

Reviewers has connected Christopher Sheldrake's De Profundis to the omonimous letter that Oscar Wilde wrote during his imprisonment in the Reading Gaol. Please, note that he was there because found guilty of gross indecency (that was the legal term used) and NOT sodomy. The Real Court would have never attached that word to an artist of Wilde's caliber, while still recognized his culpability. The title of the letetr was chosen by the journalist Rober Ross (one of Wilde's lover) entrusted with the letter's manuscript. There, Wilde reflects on his life as an artist and religion, while the theme of death seems minor. But if we look at Psalm 130, then we may find Serge Luten's inspiration for De Profundis: Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. .... But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. The Psalm seems saying that when facing death, we hope for a merciful God who will forgive all our sins (including sodomy). Lutens wrote: "When death steals into our midst, its breath flutters through the black crepe of mourning, nips at funeral wreaths and crucifixes, and ripples through the gladiola, chrysanthemums and dahlias. If they end up in garlands in the Holy Land or the Galapagos Islands or on flower floats at the Annual Nice Carnival, so much the better! What if the hearse were taking the deceased, surrounded by abundant flourish, to a final resting place in France, and leading altar boys, priest, undertaker, beadle and gravediggers to some sort of celebration where they could indulge gleefully in vice? Now that would be divine! This is ironic take on death (and religion?): we can indulge in sins becuase at the end of our life we will be forgiven. Hence the chrisanthemum, the flower of death, turns into a bouquet of other flowers like those depicted in the cover of BUR editor cover of De Profundis. The scent opens up with a huge dose of galbanum accompanied by a note of soil tincture. A dewy, cold-green-spice chrysanthemums is the center of the show until it turns into trembling, damp, fragile violets which announce rebirth. Carnations, a little bit of hyacint (still noticable), a muguet accord, and some ionones from iris complete the transformation of the crysantemum (death) to spring (rebirth). All accompanied by wiff of incense. My top three Luntes! follow me on IG @alexolympia6

Our psyches are strange things, aren’t they? How it is we associate things like some pretty, principally neutral, evocative little flowers to emotions ranging from elation to melancholy must get engraved into our subconscious so early on we cannot come close to perceiving or fathoming the sudden emotional bias. Or, are neurochemicals at work here, triggering something deeply built-in to the evolutionarily ancient parts of our brains. De Profundis encourages us to consider an alternate interpretation of what we “know”. If you haven’t already, read the Lutens press brief for the perfume; it’s one of the more beautiful pieces of (purple) prose from the brand. Chrysanthemum is the star of this bouquet, supposedly, flanked by hyacinths, carnations, violets, muguet, and irises via orris. It’s an achingly gorgeous bouquet. There is a density and a complexity that brings an emotional weight, like a knot in the pit of your stomach. De Profundis pulls incredible notes of all types together in a perfectly balanced and seamless union. Vivid colors of white and purple, fleshy, sweet, sharp but well-rounded galbanum notes, unctuous, musty, cold, a bit peppery, a touch citrusy, a bit chalky and starchy, and ever so slightly earthy. There’s so much to this perfume that you can’t really corroborate any of these florals are actually there when you put your mind to it. If we could twist Serge’s arm, he would probably say that’s correct. As to the note of earthiness, I find the most striking part of this perfume working to execute the brief: wetness. I don’t believe calones or dihydromyrcenol are here as there isn’t anything ozonic or salty that I am picking up - who knows with this massive amalgam - but there is something wet, like you are smelling these flowers after a beautiful spring rain. There’s life here, not death. In all of their heavy fleshiness, these blooms have energy and vitality. They ask, “why should I make you weep? Sit with me, and wonder at the beauty.” Incense comes through in the dry down to bring forth not feelings of sadness, happiness, or even spirituality, but contentedness. What is, is, and what will be, will be. “From the depths” indeed. The depths of this perfume are limitless. Stunning work.