- An investigation into the portrayal of smell in 17th-century art Scented flowers and perfumes, foul-smelling canals and unpleasant body odors, smell and well-being, new aromas from far-away lands (spices, tobacco, coffee and tea), the disappearing smells of the bleaching fields, old crafts and more. Can life in the 17th century be captured in smell? How are smell (and scent) portrayed? What significance did people attach to smell?...