Collection Online
Pair of baskets
Medium
porcelain (soft-paste)
Measurements
3.6 × 10.2 × 7.7 cm (each)
Accession Number
2024.449.a-b
Department
International Decorative Arts
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Patricia Begg OAM Bequest, 2024
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work

During the eighteenth century personal hygiene was not what it is today and regular bathing remained uncommon. To counteract the bodily odours that arose as a result of this, the process of perfuming interiors became an important task. The burning of pastilles in baskets such as these was used to deodorise rooms and hide unsavoury smells, in addition to the use of potpourri.