Bella Donna

The woman in the portrait sits almost sternly, but her gaze reveals a story that her pose tries to conceal. JUL ET MAD Bella Donna builds the same contrast: cool elegance on the outside, warmth and tension beneath the surface.

Bergamot and fresh ginger open the extrait clearly and sharply. Mulberry accord and magnolia then bring a darker fruitiness and a smooth floral fullness, without carefree sweetness.

Saffron gives the composition a dry, somewhat leathery edge, while sandalwood slowly smooths out the initial tension. Fruit and flower remain as a color over wood, never as a separate bouquet.

Luca Maffei finds inspiration in a mysterious Renaissance portrait. The model could be Beatrice d’Este, but most interpretations point to Lucrezia Crivelli, the mistress of Ludovico Sforza — a woman whose serene expression hides a forbidden passion.

Benzoin, opoponax, labdanum, and musk later create a dense, warm background. Ginger mellows, saffron softens, and the resins give the impression of warmth held beneath heavy fabric.

Bella Donna is not a portrait of a smiling temptress. It is magnolia, mulberry, and saffron behind a stiff Renaissance pose — a feeling that is visible precisely because someone tries to hide it.