Cyclamen 1896

Maurice Pillard Verneuil made this print of Cyclamen in France, and although the exact date isn't known, it's likely to be around the turn of the 20th century. It’s an image that reflects the wider cultural context of the period, during which natural forms held a particular fascination, and the artistic movements of Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement encouraged artists to observe and represent the natural world in new ways. The piece also resonates with wider institutional trends in art, particularly the increasing professionalization of design. Verneuil draws on several visual codes that were popular at the time, particularly botanical illustration. Yet this image is more self-consciously artistic, and less scientific. The piece reflects new kinds of artistic practice where artists drew inspiration from both nature and traditional crafts. As historians, we can deepen our understanding of this artwork by exploring the social and cultural contexts in which Verneuil was working, using resources such as exhibition catalogs, design journals, and artist biographies. This helps us understand how Cyclamen reflects the artistic and cultural values of its time.