Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede (Photo: Despina Veneti)©
"From Tros, three noble sons were born, Ilus, Assaracus and the god-equal Ganymede, the fairest one of mortal men; for such was his beauty that he was carried off by the gods to dwell among immortals, thenceforth pouring into the cup of Zeus" (Homer’s Iliad, rhapsody Y, lines 233-235, translated from Ancient Greek by Despina Veneti)
Ganymede and the Eagle by Adamo Tadolini (Hermitage Museum)©
In Greek mythology Ganymede was a young Trojan prince of extraordinary beauty who caught the eye of Zeus: transformed into an eagle, the impulsive “Father of gods and men” abducted the boy, bringing him to Mount Olympus. There Ganymede was given eternal youth and immortality, as well as the privilege to become cupbearer to the gods, pouring their nectar. One version has Zeus placing Ganymede in the sky, as the constellation of Aquarius (the "cup-carrier"). Throughout the centuries the mythological figure of Ganymede has been a source of inspiration for artists, writers, philosophers and poets, including Homer, Plato, Pindar, Euripides, Goethe, Apollonius of Rhodes, Virgil, Cicero, Leochares, Michelangelo, Tiziano, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Thorvaldsen.
Planet Jupiter and Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede (Digital collage: Despina Veneti)©
As a tribute to the ancient Greek myth, the biggest moon of planet Jupiter was named Ganymede; the ninth largest object of our solar system, Ganymede is a world of mineral rock and an internal frozen ocean, a thin oxygen atmosphere and a magnetic field. Continuing to inspire to this day, Ganymede is the name of the new scent by Marc-Antoine Barrois, of the eponymous Parisian Couture House for men. Just like his first fragrance, B683 (whose name refers to an imaginary planet inspired by asteroid B612 of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry‘s “Le Petit Prince”), Ganymede is also created by Givaudan perfumer Quentin Bisch.
Quentin Bisch & Marc-Antoine Barrois during their collaboration for B683 (Courtesy of Marc-Antoine Barrois)©
The friendship between the couturier and the perfumer began five years ago, when Quentin was just moving onto the second year of his career at Givaudan. Hesitant at first to expand in the world of perfume, Marc-Antoine became increasingly drawn to the idea of dressing the skin in a way other than clothes. The success (mostly by word of mouth) of B683 surprised even its creators and, having thoroughly enjoyed their creative collaboration, the two men were eager to work together again for a fragrance that would be, as Marc-Antoine told me: “the younger brother of B683, sharing the same DNA but with a personality of its own; again expressing my fashion universe of timeless elegance with contemporary touches, but this time reflecting a more luminous, more fluid masculinity". The olfactory core of B683 – spices, leather and woods – is indeed present in Ganymede, but this aromatic journey takes a different direction.
Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede (Digital collage/effects by Despina Veneti)©
A luminous opening of succulent Italian mandarin, spiced up with sunny saffron and electrifying cumin, immediately brings back to me memories of hot Mediterranean summers. The spiciness is given a substantially interesting edge by the use of immortelle (the “everlasting flower"), one of the most chameleon-like ingredients in perfumery; here it is truly a key element, one that elevates this composition from a highly enjoyable fragrance, to an artistic one. Immortelle, a real botanical treasure, is an evergreen shrub that has been thriving for centuries in rocky, sandy, sun-baked zones of Southern Europe, producing clusters of cheerful yellow flowers.
Immortelle growing wild in Greece zagentata.bg
In Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede I smell mainly the dried flower, straw and curry-like nuances of the plant. The perfumer used the immortelle as a basis of what he calls a “mineral accord": completed by woods, moss and spices, this accord is meant to reflect the rocky and salty geological properties of Jupiter's satellite. At the same time I find that immortelle echoes the very myth of Ganymede, both because the young boy was made immortal, but also due to the importance of the plant in Ancient Greece: its cosmetic and therapeutic properties were cherished, and – considered a symbol of eternal love and good luck – immortelle flower wreaths were offered to the gods. The raw mineral character is contrasted with soft suede leather (a combination of violet and osmanthus); the latter's refinement and smoothness provides an excellent counterpoint to the juiciness and spiciness, giving the overall composition an air of contemporary sophistication. Ganymede’s performance is impressive, and its sillage not only powerful but also ever-shifting. A thoughtful creation of highest quality and diffusion that reconciles conceptualization with pure aesthetic pleasure, Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede uses timeless natural and cultural treasures as a starting point for his imaginary olfactory voyage – to Jupiter's moon, and beyond.
Notes: Italian Mandarin, Saffron; Violet, Chinese Osmanthus Absolute; Akigalawood, Immortelle Absolute.
Disclaimer: I'd like to thank Marc-Antoine Barrois for my bottle of Ganymede. The opinions are my own.
– Despina Veneti, Senior Editor
Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede (Photo by Despina Veneti)©
Thanks to the generosity of Marc-Antoine Barrois, we have a draw for a 100ml bottle of Ganymede (value: $195/165€) for one registered reader in EU or USA. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about Despina’s review, if you have smelled B683 and where you live. Draw closes 4/20/2019
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Editor’s Note: Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede launches at Bergdorf Goodman 4/18/2019 and Ganymede will be available at all Marc-Antoine Barrois Perfumes stockists thereafter
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