Cytises et Digitales - Maurice Pillard Verneuil

A refined Art Nouveau lithograph by Maurice Pillard Verneuil, featuring a serene figure surrounded by stylised laburnum and foxglove flowers.

Maurice Pillard Verneuil was a central figure in the French Art Nouveau movement, particularly noted for his contributions to decorative arts and graphic design. This lithograph, titled Cytises et Digitales, demonstrates his mastery of stylised natural forms. The composition features a woman in profile, her posture calm as she interacts with the hanging clusters of laburnum (cytises). Below her, the vertical forms of foxgloves (digitales) create a rhythmic, repeating pattern that anchors the foreground. Verneuil often drew inspiration from the natural world, translating organic shapes into flattened, graphic motifs suitable for posters, textiles, and wallpaper. His work is characterised by a clear, controlled line and a muted, harmonious colour palette. The influence of Japanese woodblock prints is evident in the lack of traditional perspective and the emphasis on silhouette and decorative surface. The subject is rendered with a gentle, serene quality, avoiding excessive detail in favour of clarity and balance. The patterned dress worn by the figure echoes the botanical elements, unifying the human form with the surrounding flora. This piece is representative of the period's fascination with the synthesis of fine art and design, where the decorative potential of plant life was explored with precision and aesthetic rigour. The print reflects the era's preference for soft, earthy tones and the integration of organic motifs into everyday visual culture.