MYRURGIA Perfumes | SPANISH SHOP ONLINE

BEAUTY
>
Brands
>
Myrurgia

The history of Myrurgia began in 1916 when Esteve Monegal i Prat, a Catalan sculptor and intellectual, transformed his father's Ramón Monegal modest drugstore into a business influenced by the major artistic movements of the time: Noucentisme, oriental subtleties, Art Deco, and other avant-garde elements. Thus, during the 1920s and 1930s, Myrurgia was the figurehead of design and advertising, with a large group of collaborators, including graphic designer Eduard Jener. He is responsible for the firm's most iconic creations, such as the artistic presentations of Polvos Morisca, Orgia, Maja, Flor de Blasón, Suspiros de Granada, and Clavel de España, among others. Another important cartoonist associated with Myrurgia was Alfred Opisso Cardona.

Myrurgia's relationship with the arts also extended to architecture, which is why, in 1926, Antoni Puig Gairal drew up plans for the firm's elegant headquarters in Barcelona.

Art Deco, the style that replaced the floral style of Art Nouveau, encompassed and coexisted with other aesthetics in the first decades of the 20th century, adapting perfectly and conveying that taste for exoticism of the end of the century. An example of this exoticism can be found in Myrurgia perfumes, specifically on the label on the back of the Maderas de Oriente case, which states: "The residues that attest to the unique craftsmanship of this perfume are noticeable on the packaging. In each bottle, and under Kabbalistic invocations, juicy branches of Asian jungle shrubs, split into a crescent shape, have been infused in flower alcohol." Through this mystique, Myrurgia made available to the general public, in addition to its sensual aromas, a small masterpiece in each new perfume. A small, concentrated exotic world present on the vanities of many of our mothers and grandmothers.

A good portion of Myrurgia's bottles were designed by Monegal himself and Eduard Jener, but there were also exceptional collaborations, such as the creations of Julien Viard, who is associated with the best French firms. At this time, perfumes were characterized by their dark color and density, and despite their small size, the label played a key role in defining the perfume's name. Often, the name derived from a flower (Cyclamen, Gardenia, Rose, Mimosa, Lilac), conveying emotional or romantic meaning (Tu Reja, Bésame, Orgia), appealing to exotic and sensual worlds (Maderas de Oriente, Hindustan, Rosa de Bagdad), or seeking inspiration from Spanish traditions (Maja, Suspiros de Granada, Goyesca, Embrujo de Sevilla). Myrurgia perfumes have always been surrounded by an aura of sophistication and are often considered luxury items. The idea of prestige and timelessness was evoked, above all, through the use of gold on the labels and the inclusion of mother-of-pearl in the design.

Unlike other companies in the sector that adopted familiar names (Guerlain, Parera, Gal), Esteve Monegal started the business by choosing a name with classical reminiscences: Myrurgia, formed from the Greek roots “essence” and “work.” In this early period, its most successful perfumes were Maderas de Oriente, Fantasio, Clavel de España, Suspiros de Granada, Promesa and Embrujo de Sevilla.

Myrurgia was Spain's leading perfumer house with Perfumeria Gal Madrid being their chief competitor. In July, 2000, Myrurgia became part of the Puig Beauty & Fashion Group. A few years later in 2007, Myrurgia disappeared.