{"title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy (1877-1951)\u003c\/strong\u003e, often abbreviated as E.A. Séguy, was a French decorative painter of the early 20th century, renowned for his illustrations of plants and insects in the Art Nouveau and later Art Deco styles. His ornamental designs were intended for the textile and wallpaper manufacturers of his time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy is often confused with his contemporary Eugène Séguy (1890-1985), an eminent French dipterologist, also an illustrator of insects and author of the Universal Colour Code. This is evidenced by the cover of the American scientific magazine FASEB, April 2009, where E.A. Séguy is named Eugène Alain Séguy, where his given birth and death dates are actually those of his namesake, and where their works are completely intertwined. We think it's safe to say that all the colourful Art Deco, butterfly and insect designs that you find when Googling Séguy are by Émile-Allain Séguy. Eugene Séguy was a dipterologist - he studied and wrote about flies, and did line drawings of them within his texts. These men have been confused and conflated across the internet, including on Archive.org!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy was born on 14th October 1877 in Saint-Sulpice-Laurière in Haute-Vienne. He came from a family long established in the region; his grandfather, a local industrialist, owned a wool mill there. He began his schooling in Castel-Sarrazin and finished it at the Collège Rollin in Paris. He then entered the École des Arts Décoratifs, where he met Jules Habert-Dys, then a professor. A pioneer of Art Nouveau, Habert-Dys was strongly influenced by Japanese arts, particularly Ukiyo-e from the Edo period. For example, in Études d'insectes, seize motifs, Fantaisies décoratifs, dating from 1886-1887, his illustrations blend the purity of Japanese Kachō-ga lines with the European scientific precision of flora and fauna, the insect always being included within its environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1898, E.A. Séguy exhibited his first works at the Salon des Artistes Français alongside his friend Édouard Bénédictus; these were embossed leather objects and art bookbindings. At the 1900 Exposition Universelle, he was awarded two silver medals for his creations. In 1902, immediately after finishing his studies, he published two portfolios of floral ornaments that attracted attention. At the same time, he created new forms for ceramics and metalwork. He also designed and commissioned furniture using lacquer as decoration, an innovation that quickly became popular. Around 1910, he published the album Textiles, followed by Primavera in 1913, tinged with Fauvism, and Floréal in 1914. These pattern books were hand-coloured using stencils in the Art Nouveau style. At that time, he shared, for a time, his artistic emotions with the group of the Apaches, of which Maurice Ravel was the spearhead. He was subsequently chosen as publishing director of Éditions Pierre-Lafitte and founded in 1913 the artistic department for the windows of the Printemps stores, a profession which he practiced until 1924.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe war of 1914-1918 interrupted his work; he was mobilised during the four years of the war in the 44th Territorial Infantry Regiment and followed most of the trenches, in particular those of Verdun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpon demobilisation, he returned to his studio on the Île Saint-Louis and continued his exploration of ornamental designs intended for manufacturers and designers of textiles, carpets, and wallpapers. Indeed, he wished to make \"available to designers, in a practical form, a set of materials capable of enriching and renewing their productions, and this in a distinctly contemporary way.\" He thus made a decisive contribution to the development of the Art Deco style in flat decoration. He published Samarkande (1920) with its oriental motifs, Suggestions for Fabrics and Carpets (1924), and Bouquets and Foliage (1925). He and his friend Edouard Benedictus were among the most prominent designers of ornamental patterns of his time. Many industrialists sought his collaboration, such as Lyon fabric publishers like Bianchini-Ferrier and wallpaper manufacturers like Duchesne-Binet and especially Leroy. His numerous creations earned him, at the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Arts, two gold medals in the \"book\" section, an honorary diploma in the \"wallpaper\" section and the grand prize in the \"textiles\" section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the height of his powers, Émile-Allain Séguy created some of the most memorable insect illustrations of the Art Deco period, publishing them in two volumes: Papillons (1928) and Insectes (1929). Exotic butterflies, wasps, and planthoppers appear alongside dragonflies, grasshoppers, beetles, and cicadas. Richly coloured and more naturalistic than ornamental, his plates are the product of genuine entomological knowledge and an inexhaustible graphic imagination. This level of detail and diversity is rarely seen in traditional European art. As a result, Séguy's art is sometimes compared to Japanese art. However, the very dense layout and the complete absence of ecological context are not characteristic of traditional Japanese art. In the Kachō-ga, the details of the insect are counterbalanced by simpler elements, whereas Séguy's works teem with a dizzying amount of detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWishing to pass on his expertise to younger generations, he became a professor of decorative composition at the École Estienne. In 1931, he produced an even more personal work with Prismes. Subsequently, as the Art Deco style became less popular, he made a living by working for the seed company Vilmorin \u0026amp; Cie, for which he illustrated catalogs and seed packets. Having fallen into obscurity, he made a film, presumably lost, whose aim was to revive interest in natural forms in the art of his time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTired and overwhelmed by his family problems, E.A. Séguy produced no further notable works after the Second World War. He died on 22nd June  1951 at his home in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. He was buried three days later in the Thiais cemetery in Paris. Thanks to donations from his daughter, Monique Gueben, the Forney Library, specialising in decorative and graphic arts, now holds numerous documents by Emile-Allain Séguy.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"art-deco-designs-32-high-resolution-images","title":"Art Deco Designs - 32 High Resolution Images","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2025 marked a significant Art Deco anniversary - 100 years since its inception! The style, characterised by bold outlines, geometric forms originated from the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis collection of Art Deco images features designers such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Raoul Dufy, Georges Valmier, Emile-Allain Séguy, Maurice Pillard Verneuil, Édouard Bénédictus, Pierre Chareau, Ralph Barton and more. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere are some wonderful designs here!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download features 32 hi-res images, in jpeg format. The images are all 600dpi and range in size from 4095 pixels wide\/tall to 7050 pixels wide\/tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pictures are out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use them in whatever way you’d like, including commercial use.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 32 images","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50801182507338,"sku":null,"price":4.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Art_Deco_Designs_-_32_High_Resolution_Images.jpg?v=1747045205"},{"product_id":"seguy-emile-allain-1877-1951-semi-abstract-floral-design-1931","title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain (1877-1951) - Semi-abstract floral design 1931","description":"\u003cp\u003eDesign by Émile-Allain Séguy for Charles Moreau's 'Prismes', 40 Planches de Dessins et Coloris Nouveaux from 1931.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4720 pixels wide by 6530 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/emile-allain-seguy\" title=\"Emile-Allain Seguy\"\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61380105732426,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Seguy_Emile-Allain_1877-1951_-Prismes1931-Semi-abstractfloraldesign_main.jpg?v=1773978789"},{"product_id":"seguy-emile-allain-1877-1951-semi-abstract-geological-design-1931","title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain (1877-1951) - Semi-abstract geological design 1931","description":"\u003cp\u003eDesign by Émile-Allain Séguy for Charles Moreau's 'Prismes', 40 Planches de Dessins et Coloris Nouveaux from 1931.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4734 pixels wide by 6525 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/emile-allain-seguy\" title=\"Emile-Allain Seguy\"\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61380141187402,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Seguy_Emile-Allain_1877-1951_-Prismes1931-Semi-abstractgeologicaldesign_main.jpg?v=1773978788"},{"product_id":"seguy-emile-allain-1877-1951-floral-1914","title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain (1877-1951) - Floral 1914","description":"\u003cp\u003eFloral design from Emile-Allain Seguy's 'Samarkande', 20 Compositions en couleurs dans le Style oriental, a portfolio of 20 colour pochoir pattern plates from 1914.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4432 pixels wide by 6360 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis image also appears in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/products\/art-deco-designs-32-high-resolution-images\" title=\"Art Deco Designs\"\u003eArt Deco Designs\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/emile-allain-seguy\" title=\"Emile-Allain Seguy\"\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61380160061770,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Seguy_Emile-Allain_1877-1951_-Sarmarkande1914-Floral_main.jpg?v=1773978790"},{"product_id":"seguy-emile-allain-1877-1951-willow-1914","title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain (1877-1951) - Willow 1914","description":"\u003cp\u003eWillow design from Emile-Allain Seguy's 'Samarkande', 20 Compositions en couleurs dans le Style oriental, a portfolio of 20 colour pochoir pattern plates from 1914.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4430 pixels wide by 6370 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis image also appears in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/products\/art-deco-designs-32-high-resolution-images\" title=\"Art Deco Designs\"\u003eArt Deco Designs\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/emile-allain-seguy\" title=\"Emile-Allain Seguy\"\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61380303061322,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Seguy_Emile-Allain_1877-1951_-Sarmarkande1914-Willow_main.jpg?v=1773978790"},{"product_id":"seguy-emile-allain-1877-1951-fish-naturally-inspired-designs-1925","title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain (1877-1951) - Fish \u0026 naturally inspired designs 1925","description":"\u003cp\u003eA group of naturally inspired Art Deco designs by Émile-Allain Séguy from Floreal, Dessigns et Coloris Nouveaux from 1925.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4617 pixels wide by 6858 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/emile-allain-seguy\" title=\"Emile-Allain Seguy\"\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61383219872074,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Seguy_Emile-Allain_1877-1951_-Fish_naturallyinspireddesigns1925_main.jpg?v=1773978789"},{"product_id":"seguy-emile-allain-1877-1951-stylised-semi-abstract-floral-design-1925","title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain (1877-1951) - Stylised \u0026 semi-abstract floral design 1925","description":"\u003cp\u003eA group of stylised and semi-abstract Art Deco designs by Émile-Allain Séguy from Suggestions pour Etoffes et Tapis, 60 motifs en couleur, 1925.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4968 pixels wide by 6804 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/emile-allain-seguy\" title=\"Emile-Allain Seguy\"\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61383364378954,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Seguy_Emile-Allain_1877-1951_-Stylised_semi-abstractfloraldesign1925_main.jpg?v=1773978789"},{"product_id":"seguy-emile-allain-1877-1951-stylised-floral-design-1925","title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain (1877-1951) - Stylised Floral design 1925","description":"\u003cp\u003eA group of stylised and naturally inspired Art Deco designs by Émile-Allain Séguy from Suggestions pour Etoffes et Tapis, 60 motifs en couleur, 1925.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4872 pixels wide by 6756 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/emile-allain-seguy\" title=\"Emile-Allain Seguy\"\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61383406190922,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Seguy_Emile-Allain_1877-1951_-StylisedFloraldesign1925_main.jpg?v=1773978789"},{"product_id":"seguy-emile-allain-1877-1951-stylised-naturally-inspired-design-1925","title":"Séguy, Émile-Allain (1877-1951) - Stylised Naturally Inspired design 1925","description":"\u003cp\u003eA group of stylised and naturally inspired Art Deco designs by Émile-Allain Séguy from Suggestions pour Etoffes et Tapis, 60 motifs en couleur, 1925.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image in JPEG format that is 600dpi and 4908 pixels wide by 6816 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/emile-allain-seguy\" title=\"Emile-Allain Seguy\"\u003eÉmile-Allain Séguy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 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