The exhibition, which brings together objects dating back more than two centuries, aims to explore the history of perfume culture and its materialization. Curated by Andrew Howard, it will be presented for the first time on May 31 at Casa do Design in Matosinhos and will remain open until September 30.

From the 19th century to the inter-war period, Fragrance and Form: Design and the Culture of Perfume takes a close look at "the idea of perfume, and the materialisation of an aesthetic to surround and market that idea".

Andrew Howard, curator of the exhibition and lecturer at ESAD, draws on Afonso Oliveira's private collection, which includes notable pieces of European perfume bottles and packaging art, particularly from the Portuguese industry.

"Perfume appeals to our olfactory sense, but its materialization is designed to appeal to our aesthetic sense. That's why the objects designed to contain perfume, the richly produced bottles and their packaging, are the focal point of this exhibition," explains the curator.

With the aim of understanding the concept of the use of perfume and its social appreciation, these objects, which have been realized throughout different historical moments, are "designed objects that are the result of particular histories and material processes, contexts that give meaning to their being and form," the curatorial text reads.

Organized by Matosinhos City Council and esad-idea, Research in Design and Art, the exhibition explores glass as a material and container, as well as the art of perfumery and the chemistry of fragrances.