Las artes de la paz. técnicas de perfumería y cosmética en recetarios castellanos de los siglos XV y XVI

Abstract

This paper examines the techniques for preparing perfumes and cosmetics contained in Castilian recipe books belonging to 15 th and 16 th centuries. These recipe books are kept in the National Library of Spain, the Royal Palace Library in Madrid and the Palatine Library in Parma. Only the text kept in this Italian library has been studied and edited. These recipe books contain about fifty recipes that specify the purpose of the perfumes and cosmetics mentioned, the ingredients used in making them and the technical processes developed for preparation of substances and the application of the compounds. All this highlights a littlestudied aspect of daily life in the Middle Ages, related to medicine and health, aesthetics and beauty, and body care.