Just as young gentleman charmed the women in Jane Austin’s Sense and Sensibility, perfumes have inspired people for centuries. The designs of each unique bottle reflect history. Curator John Keefe, Curator of Decorative Arts, showcases the art of perfumery and the craftsmanship behind each scent’s unique case in Scents and Sensibility, on display on the New Orleans Museum of Art’s (NOMA) second floor June 23 – October 24, 2010.

Sense and Sensibility showcases 125 objects covering the history of the scent bottle from its ancient origins to the present day. Scents, or perfumes, have been a part of civilization for more than four-thousand years and have characterized every known civilization. “Scents and their containers have fascinated the world from Julius Caesar to Coco Chanel,” Keefe said.