Coq, vase argent ciselé. Ombelles et libellules, jeu de fond. Crevettes, bordure. 1897

Maurice Pillard Verneuil made this print of a silver vase, called "Coq", with umbels, dragonflies, and shrimps. It is typical of the Art Nouveau style. The print offers a fascinating insight into the cultural values of its time, probably France, around 1900. Verneuil seems to be exploring the intersection of luxury, nature, and national identity. The rooster, a national symbol of France, is rendered as a finely crafted silver vase, elevating it to an object of opulence. Verneuil juxtaposes the vase with stylized natural motifs such as dragonflies and umbels, and with the less common motif of shrimps, blurring the boundaries between the natural world and human artifice. To understand this work better, we might consider the rise of industrialization at this time, and how artists sought to reconcile mass production with traditional craftsmanship. Research into design catalogues and trade publications of the period could reveal more about the cultural significance of these images. This vase becomes a powerful emblem of its era, capturing both its aspirations and anxieties.