Who is Giuseppe Baldini from Perfume and what is their importance?

Giuseppe Baldini was a master perfumer of Paris. Once very successful, Baldini is now aging alongside his traditional clientèle. When he meets Grenouille, his business is waning, and he changes his mind about retiring Italy in order to take in this genius of scent, who makes him very rich.

Baldini is described as a vain man, who is very conscious of social status. He gives Grenouille almost complete freedom, but Grenouille is careful to earn it by degrees from Baldini, lest his sensibilities be offended. Baldini is a religious man, but his plans to show his piety are interrupted by other events. Baldini later dies when his home and entire perfumery fall into the Seine River shortly after Grenouille leaves Paris.