This beautiful partnership between two Houses so emblematic of France's cultural and artistic heritage is set to make 2023 the year of Matisse at Guerlain. This tribute to Matisse and celebration of fragrance comes in the form of two unique creations inspired by two of the artist’s paintings. These two colourful designs by Maison Matisse feature: one on a limited edition Maison Matisse Bee Bottle for Exceptional Creations and the second, across three new pieces of the L'Art & La Matière collection.
To celebrate the 170th anniversary of the Bee Bottle, a spectacular new release in the Exceptional Creations collection will feature a design inspired by “The Music” (1939), one of Matisse’s most renowned paintings. Created by the artisan Astrid de Chaillé, vibrantly coloured motifs will adorn 14 unique bottles.
To mark the occasion, Guerlain Perfumers have also composed Couleur Bonheur, a modern fruity chypre fragrance filled with olfactory colours as sunny and bright as the artist's palette. This precious perfume extract will be exclusive to the Maison Matisse Bee Bottle.
Meanwhile, for the L'Art & La Matière collection, the partnership has led to a further three special editions. Hearts, jasmine blossoms and leaves come together alongside an exclusive olfactory masterpiece inspired by the 1950 artwork, "The Thousand and One Nights”, to create Guerlain’s new Jasmin Bonheur fragrance complete with stunning decorative plate. Its vibrant design is also echoed on an edition of the Figue Azur candle.
Jasmin Bonheur marks the first time a jasmine fragrance has been added to Guerlain’s L'Art & La Matière collection. A colourful take on jasmine tinged with bright shades of radiantly orange apricot notes, vibrant purple-coloured iris and soft rose pink, the new scent is inspired by Matisse’s bold colour palette. While jasmine has been one of Guerlain’s favourite materials since 1828, here it offers up surprising new revelations, as the star-shaped bloom is showcased in a different way thanks to the addition of a lively pop of fruity-chypre floral colour to its traditionally sensual intensity.
"By founding Maison Matisse, we wanted to pass on the visual world that my great-grandfather had created, drawing inspiration from the images, colours and shapes of his works to create objects for the home. Objects that can be passed down through the generations in the same way his inspirational paintings have been in our family and in others.
As a painter, Henri Matisse has become synonymous with joy. I see something optimistic and exciting in his work. With his simplified brushstrokes he wanted to bring joyful emotions to life for everyone. It is in this very spirit that we at Maison Matisse design our collections for the home. The creations within this collaboration therefore evoke the same energy, daring and warmth that emanates from Matisse’s paintings and images.
This collaboration with Guerlain is relevant to Maison Matisse’s creative journey. It allows us to add new and unprecedented dimensions to our pieces and extend Henri Matisse's works into olfactory realms. My great-grandfather's works are very multi-sensory, his was a world full of plants and flowers and they became recurring motifs in his work. Therefore, there are a lot of coherent connections between his work and the artistry of Guerlain perfume.
That is why we were so happy to embark on this collaboration, especially since we share values of high standards in work and in research, a respect for precision and a love of colour of this House whose creators have always been very close to artists. This celebration of happiness is a beautiful initiative and a first for Maison Matisse.” - Jean-Mathieu Matisse, Founder of Maison Matisse and great-grandson of Henri Matisse.
