Erika Wicky
In this week’s Lecture, Erika Wicky, holding the chair of olfaction at Université Grenoble Alpes talked about the atmosphere of painters’ studios In the second half of the nineteenth century. They increasingly fascinated the public and gradually became places of sociability and self- representation for artists. Yet, due to their architectural and functional characteristics, artists’ studios were highly stimulating from a sensory perspective. This communication will examine the role of the senses in the experience of these social and creative spaces, paying particular attention to aspects related to air quality: the smell of turpentine and varnishes, the presence of dust and insects, toxic fumes, elevated temperatures, etc. Through the study of various studio narratives, it will become possible to observe the multiple meanings that painters and their different visitors (art critics, clients, paint dealers, and others) attributed to these sensory perceptions.
