Papillons, Plate 7 by E.A. Séguy
10"x8" ($24) | 14"x11" ($60) | 20"x16" ($240) | 30"x24" ($800) | 50"x40" ($3,500)
It’s easy to get lost in Papillons, Plate 7—the irregular color combos, the fine details, the delicacy with which the butterfly wings are rendered—but it’s just as easy to get wrapped up in the mystery and mixups surrounding this edition’s creator, E.A. Séguy.
Let’s set the stage: It’s 1920s Paris, France. Two men are living in the City of Lights, one an entomologist, the other a pattern designer with a penchant for insects. They both have the initials “E.A.” and the last name “Séguy”. The entomologist has the first name Eugene, while the pattern designer’s given name is Emile-Allain. Add to that the passage of time and the glorious game of telephone that is the Internet, and a hybrid man is born: Eugene Alain Séguy.
Credited with both art nouveau illustrations and entomological discoveries, this mythical third man—a sort of portmanteau of our two Parisian insect enthusiasts—continues to exist via the web, though librarians (god bless them) are working hard to give each separate man his due. While Eugene Séguy gave his wonderful expertise to the scientific community, today’s edition release, is the result of Emile-Allain Séguy’s tremendous talent.
For someone with no official scientific background beyond a deep-seated interest in the natural world, the technical detail in these butterfly illustrations is truly incredible. To capture those details, E.A. Séguy employed pochoir, (French for “stencil”) a type of hand-stencilling used to produce fine prints in limited editions. Séguy’s pochoir portfolio, Papillons, grabs the eye with its deep, rich hues and impeccably precise illustrations. Séguy sought to extol the beauty of nature by exercising his artistic skill, creating a microcosm filled with magnificent color and form.
Are your walls in need of a metamorphosis? Ready your butterfly nets: Papillons, Plate 7 is poised for flight.
With art for everyone,
Jen Bekman + Team 20x200
