Design for the decoration of the stairway in the Château d'Ognon of M. deMachy (Oise, France) 1850 - 1900

Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise sketched this design for a stairway decoration at the Château d'Ognon, likely in the early 20th century, rendering it on paper with watercolor. Note the intricate arabesques that dominate the composition, swirling with vegetal motifs. These patterns evoke a sense of continuous movement and organic growth, reminiscent of ancient Roman frescoes, and echoing through Renaissance-era grotesques. See how these forms twist and turn, mirroring the perpetual cycles of nature. The vase sits centrally, framed by a laurel wreath - an emblem of triumph and immortality. The presence of such classical symbols integrates past eras with the contemporary, reflecting our collective subconscious. The vase, a vessel, becomes not just a container but also a symbol of the soul or the self. It reappears across time from ancient amphorae to modern urns, each bearing its unique cultural imprint, yet retaining the basic essence of containment and transformation. Such symbols remind us that the life of images is never linear but more like a labyrinth—a network of connections and recurrences, constantly influencing our perceptions and emotions.