Chevaux, frise en pierre. Coq, amortissement. Boucs, tympan en pierre sculptée. 1897

Maurice Pillard Verneuil created this stone frieze, amortissement and tympan design sometime between 1869 and 1942. It presents a study in decorative animal forms intended for architectural embellishment. Verneuil was a French artist working at a time when designers were seeking to integrate nature and modern life through the decorative arts. This drawing exemplifies that impulse. It is an image of potential ornament. The horses, rooster, and goats rendered in relief suggest classical friezes and tympana seen in civic architecture. By drawing attention to these forms, Verneuil reminds the viewer of the social function of art: to elevate and edify. To truly understand Verneuil's work, one must delve into the archives of design schools and journals from the early 20th century. These sources reveal the debates around art's role in shaping culture and society, revealing much about the public role of art.