Nénuphars (Waterlilies), pl. 12

Plate, part of a collection of 30 pochoir pattern plates, originally part of a book titled "Les fleurs et leurs applications décoratives" (Flowers and their decorative applications), created by Émile-Allain Séguy and published in Paris by A. Calavas, as part of the collection "Librairie des Arts Decoratifs" (Library of Decorative Arts) in 1902. The plate features two ornamental designs inspired on the natural beauty of waterlilies, providing what Séguy considered a successful example of the application of scientific study of flowers in artistic creation, resulting in colorful designs likely intended for textiles or wallpapers. The first design, possibly for or inspired by stained glass, is made up of a black roundel with scrolling branches with waterlily leaves, outlined with black and colored with shades of green, over a black ground with small, semi-abstract waterlilies, colored with pastel yellow and outlined with red, surrounded by scrolling branches, outlined with black and colored with bluish-green, with stylized waterlilies with orange petals, over a reddish-pink ground; the lower part of the design consists of semi-abstract scrolling branches, executed with green over a dark green ground. The second design is made up of stylized waterlilies with cream petals and yellow pistils, flanked above by semi-abstract leaves, colored with gray, over a light purple ground.