A rare Art Nouveau plate from the Second Volume of the Album de la Décoration , published by A. Calavas in Paris and illustrated by Marcel Lenoir , a painter and illuminator renowned for his symbolist compositions. This depiction of Cleopatra , surrounded by stylized serpents and jewels, encapsulates the entire 1900s aesthetic: sinuous lines, vibrant flat colors, and decorative refinement inspired by stained glass and mosaics. Originally intended for decorative artists and poster artists , this lithograph served as a model for the study of faces, drapery and ornamental motifs at the juncture of symbolism and Art Nouveau.
✦ Provenance: A. Calavas Publishing, Paris ✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900 ✦ Dimensions: 36.5 × 26.5 cm ✦ Material: Lithograph on heavy laid paper ✦ Condition: Good condition – minor foxing and marginal marks, bright colors
An icon of the symbolist and orientalist repertoire, this print illustrates the fin-de-siècle fascination with the figure of Cleopatra and the antique imagination revisited by Art Nouveau – a piece sought after by collectors of decorative prints.
