These wood-carved panels were taken from the French Art Nouveau designer M.P. Verneuil’s portfolio “Etude de la plante,” which was published in the early 20th century.
They were originally designed for paper, textiles, ceramics and stained glass. We have loved his designs for many years and adapted them as woodcarvings for use in contemporary settings as architectural moldings, fire surrounds, bed headboards, and the like.
The woodcarving is low relief—it’s only about a 1/4 inch deep. Painted and gilded carving is not in vogue so much these days because our clients seem to prefer seeing the wood. However, in the 18th century, for example, it was the exact opposite—wood was typically covered in gold, white paint, or color. Maybe the work you see here is influenced both approaches—colored but rubbed back a little to reveal the wood grain.
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- Lizard design by M.P. Verneuil. Hand-carved and painted by Agrell Architectural Carving.
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- Olive branch design by M.P. Verneuil. Hand-carved and painted by Agrell Architectural Carving
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- Oak leaf design by M.P. Verneuil. Hand-carved and painted by Agrell Architectural Carving
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- Lotus flower design by M.P. Verneuil. Hand-carved and painted by Agrell Architectural Carving
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- Bird design by M.P. Verneuil. Hand-carved and painted by Agrell Architectural Carving
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- Rooster design by M.P. Verneuil. Hand-carved and painted by Agrell Architectural Carving
