Hooded violet

Violet cultivation expanded commercially in the 19th century when fields bloomed in Grasse, France for the first time in 1867. Perfumers initially used enfleurage to capture violet scent—a method where flower petals rested on cold fat, being replaced multiple times over 24 to 72 hours. The resulting pomade yielded only small amounts of absolute after alcohol washing. Italian perfumery adopted violet as a key material after Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, wife of Napoleon, introduced it to court fragrance traditions. Queen Elizabeth I used water of violets created by her perfumer in the 16th century, demonstrating how far back violet's prestige extends. The plant's hooded flower shape, with one lower petal forming a tube, inspired the common name. Though modern synthetic chemistry, particularly ionone compounds discovered in 1893, provided alternatives, violet absolute remained economically important throughout the 20th century and remains a sought-after material today.