"La Plante et ses Applications Ornementales"

By E.Grasset

Biography of the Artist.

Eugène Samuel Grasset (25^th May 1841 – October 23 ^th 1917)

Born in Lousanne (Switzelrland) in 1841, Grasset  was an important decorative artist, painter,  sculptor and architect. He studied drawing in Lousanne and then moved to Zurich to study architecture under the supervison of Gottfried Semper. Between 1869 and 1870, Grasset worked as painter and sculptor in Lausanne.

In 1871 Grasset moved to Paris where he developed his interest in graphic art, and where he worked as designer for fabrics, mosaics, ceramics and jewels (for Henri & Paul Vever). He designed the facade of the Hôtel de Dumas in Paris, mosaics in Saint Etienne in Braire, stained glass windows in the cathedral at Orléans. However poster-art and books illustrations became Grasset’s most important and income-generating products: he realized the famous illustration “La Semeuse” for the french publisher Larousse and many illustrations for stamps. Grasset also realized many illustrations for important magazines like “L’Estampe et l’affiche”,  “Art et Décoration” and the american “Harper’s” and books like “Le Petit Nab” (1882), le “Histoire des quatre fils Aymon” (1883) and “Balthasar” (1909) by Anatole France.

In 1894 Grasset exhibited his works at “Salon des Cent”  and in 1906, at  “Salon des Artistes Décorateurs”.

Grasset – due to his influence to many important artists like Alphons Mucha - is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.

Description of the work.

We are pleased to offer a selection of prints from the portfolio of the rare and very important Grasset’s artwork “La Plante et ses Applications ornementales” published in 1895 by E. Levy.

By the late 1890s Grasset had two studios in Paris. In addition to his own design studio, he also operated a workshop where his senior students worked under his supervision on projects like this portfolio which became a great influence on Art Nouveau style in France and continental Europe.

Created after watercolors by Grasset, the lithographs were drawn by 11 of his pupils (of which M. P. Verneuil is one and the most obviously talented) and signed in the stone. Each student was assigned a specific floral motif. Verneuil  designed highly detailed plates of each plant seen from every angle.

Each plant (including gourds, geranium, cyclamen, nasturtium, thistle, wild rose and others)  was depicted from nature and was followed by two further plates of examples of its use in decorative art nouveau schemes. The patterns were typical of Arts and Crafts style, with Art Nouveau nuances.

Each finely-executed plate was pochoir-coloured. The colors are vivid and bright.  

Each Grand Folio print measures approximately 12” 7/8 by 18” (33 by 46 cm).   

The condition of these prints is very good. There is no foxing . Some marginal paper repair.

There is no descriptive text

These Prints are very scarce.

Bibliography Reference:  Arwas page 67 ff, Murray-Robertson, page 92-93, Verneuil, page 25 ff. ;-A. Murray-Robertson-Bovard, Grasset: pionnier de l'Art nouveau, 1981. -E. Grasset: une certaine image de la femme, cat. exhibit Gingins, 1998.