A Journey Through
Time and Scent 

(Perfume) If this exhibition were a poster for a Hollywood blockbuster, fragrance fans and cultural insiders alike might write something like this:

World Premiere in Venice! A Journey Through the History of Perfume.

Starring: Bottles from the Storp Collection—6,000 Years of Fragrance History.

Directed by: Marco Vidal, The Merchant of Venice.

Original Location: Palazzo Mocenigo—Since 2013, Italy’s first perfume museum featuring the Centro Studi di Storia del Tessuto, del Costume e del Profumo (Center for the Study of the History of Fabric, Costume, and Perfume).

Screenplay by: Chiara Squarcina, Scientific Director of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia; Barbara Maria Savy, Professor of Art History; and Massimo Vidale, Professor of Archaeology, both from the University of Padua.

Producers: Marco Vidal (Mavive SpA), Ferdinand Storp (Collector & Owner of the Storp Collection), Biagio Costantini (CEO of Zignago Vetro), and Maurizio Volpi (President of Fragrance & Beauty, Givaudan).

Alone this fiery combination of interdisciplinary prominence—from industry (fragrance, glass, aroma, and raw scent materials), to university and museum expertise—is already a strong sign of this extraordinary exhibition’s success.

And the true stars? Each of the more than 500 exhibits is Oscar-worthy—jewels in their own right, presented side by side on long tables draped in heavy, dark red fabric, and housed under glass domes within the historic ambiance of the palace. Their message is unanimous: While a scent may fade, its bottle preserves its memory for eternity. More than that, these flacons have the power to transport us to places in the past, once only accessible to the most elite circles of society—we are, in a sense, stepping into the most intimate rooms of history’s leading figures.

Aside from temples dedicated to the gods and goddesses of the ancient world, the primary users of perfume in the past were pharaohs, queens, international aristocracy, and, more generally, the “moneyed nobility.” Before scientific advancements in the 19th century revolutionized fragrance production with the invention of synthetic molecules, olfactory luxury was anything but affordable. Incense, musk, civet, ambergris, and oud were worth their weight in gold and jewels. 

Just one example: the French King François I (1515–1547) had a notable passion for diamonds. The Republic of Venice knew this well and presented him with a ring set with this most coveted gem. Le Roi-Chevalier traded the jewel for musk and received in return only a few grams of that rare substance—which legend says was first brought to Venice in the 13th century by none other than Marco Polo.

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Precious scents

Which brings us back to the Palazzo Mocenigo and its breathtaking bottle exhibition. Long before the French city of Grasse—and by extension, Paris—became the center of the fragrance world, Venice was its heart. Through the merchant trading convoy, the Muda, the rarest goods were brought to the metropolis of Saint Mark. La Serenissima once housed the greatest number of noble perfume manufacturers and, on the island of Murano, the most skilled glassmakers for artful flacons.

A collection of treasures like that belonging to the Storp family—founded in 1911 and dedicated to the highest, most ephemeral form of luxury—is itself a rarity. It is tangible history, embodied in ceramic, glass, and porcelain, with both sacred and secular connotations. Biagio Costantini, CEO of glass manufacturer Zignago Vetro and co-producer of the exhibition, explains: “It’s fascinating to see how glass—always an excellent material for storing fragrance—tells a story of innovation and beauty from its ancient origins to today.”

There is still time to listen—and to journey through the centuries by scent. Givaudan, the global leader in the aroma and fragrance industry, invites visitors to take a “Viaggio nella storia del Profumo”—a chronological journey through the history of perfume. For the exhibition at Palazzo Mocenigo, Givaudan’s master perfumers have recreated original historical recipes for numerous scents.

And for those who can’t make it to Venice by November 30, word has it that this significant exhibition might soon go on tour…

Maison Ë in exclusive conversation with Marco Vidal, CEO of The Merchant of Venice and Mavive SpA, Venice

Maison Ë The museum at Palazzo Mocenigo, a research center for textile, costume, and perfume history, is hosting the wonderful exhibition “Viaggio nella storia del Profumo. Collezione Storp” until November 30. What inspired you to initiate this immersive project? It’s considered a real novelty…

Marco Vidal To continue the cultural concept of the perfume museum at Palazzo Mocenigo, which we began in 2013 together with the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, this exhibition is the first ever to present over 6,000 years of fragrance history. We are showcasing the wonderful Storp Collection, which includes more than 3,000 exceptional perfume flacons—a living and tangible legacy that documents how perfume has always accompanied both men and women throughout history.

M.Ë Could you tell us more about the academic background and creative processes behind the exhibition? Some of Italy’s most important cultural institutions are involved, including Givaudan, the world’s leading flavor and fragrance company. How did this interdisciplinary collaboration come about?

M.V. My company, Mavive, produced the exhibition in cooperation with Zignago Vetro, an innovator in the glass industry, especially in the cosmetics and fragrance sectors. Givaudan supported us in bringing historical perfume formulas back to olfactory life, matched to the chronological order of the exhibits. We were also supported academically by professors from the University of Padua, who studied the Storp Collection objects, described them, and contributed their cultural and historical context to the exhibition catalogue.

M.Ë You founded the fragrance house “The Merchant of Venice” and have saved architectural landmarks such as the 16th-century pharmacy on Piazza Fantin by turning them into flagship stores for your haute perfumery brand, in close cooperation with the heritage authorities. Thanks to you, the legendary Libreria Studium has also survived—carefully restored and now combined with a perfume lab for fragrance lovers. Why is culture so important to you?

M.V. Because culture adds credibility and depth to a business project. Although it involves a complex and challenging journey, culture becomes a unique selling point for a perfume brand. The Merchant of Venice is perceived as a cultural luxury brand, and we are very proud of that distinguishing recognition. It allows us to stand out in a highly competitive industry.

M.Ë Why is La Serenissima (Venice) so vitally important to you? What connects you to this lagoon city?

M.V. Venice is unique in the world—both as a city and as an environment. I was born here, and I come from a family deeply rooted in the city but always open to international connections. Venice is part of who I am—a great source of stylistic and olfactory inspiration for my projects. My personal commitment is to tackle the serious issues threatening life in Venice, such as population decline and overtourism. With my company, I am fighting to uphold the name of Venice—with pride.