Cerfs et arbres, papier peint. Écureuil oiseaux et sorbier, bordure. 1897

Maurice Pillard Verneuil created this wallpaper design, "Deer and Trees," employing a dense composition and an earth-toned palette, evoking the sensation of an endless forest. The repetition of stylized trees and deer creates a rhythmic pattern, challenging traditional notions of depth and perspective. This flattening of space is a key element of Art Nouveau, where decoration is paramount. The design employs symmetry to structure its pictorial space by mirroring deer between trees. It is a semiotic system, where animals function not just as representations but as signs, alluding to the natural world. The artist destabilizes the boundary between art and design by merging aesthetic and functional purposes. Rather than creating a singular artwork, Verneuil produces a repeatable pattern which can integrate into everyday life. The wallpaper challenges fixed meanings, as it is not confined to gallery walls, but interacts with its environment. It invites us to consider how art can permeate the domestic sphere, transforming our perception of space and the objects that inhabit it.