Oiseaux, jeu de fond. Escargots et champignon. Coccinelles et capillaires, étoffe. Faisan dorés et iris, bordure. 1897

Maurice Pillard Verneuil created this textile design with watercolor, gouache, and graphite. Notice the golden pheasants in the lower register, symbols of beauty and prosperity, that stride confidently amidst irises, a symbol of faith and hope. This motif is reminiscent of ancient Persian friezes where animals, often rendered in profile, symbolized power and dominion, motifs echoed in medieval tapestries. Above, we see snails and mushrooms, arranged in a circle, beside tessellated patterns of birds and ladybugs on leaves. These more humble creatures speak to nature's bounty. But observe, the ladybug, once associated with the Virgin Mary, now appears simply as a decorative pattern. The interplay of these motifs acts on the subconscious, stirring a deep emotional connection to nature, the cycle of life, and the symbolic weight of each element, repeated across time. Verneuil captures a visual language that speaks to both our memory and aspirations.