This luxurious textile originates from France, produced in 1896, and represents a scholarly example of high-end industrial printing on unconventional substrates during the late Victorian era. Measuring 30 inches by 18 inches (76 cm x 46 cm), the piece is an original roller-printed velvet cotton sample from the esteemed Scheurer company in Mulhouse, Alsace. Acquired at auction in Paris, the sample remarkably retains its original archival label certifying the design and fabric content. Having been protected from environmental degradation within a sample book for over a century, the pigments on the plush velvet surface remain exceptionally vibrant, though the piece features one original selvedge and three cut edges from its removal for archival sale.

The visual narrative is a dramatic and atmospheric depiction of aquatic flora set against a complex, dark-toned background of deep blue and forest green. The composition features monumental water lilies rendered in a sophisticated palette of creamy white and soft pink, with detailed brown centers. These primary blooms are accompanied by oversized, withered lily pads in tones of tan and mauve, which exhibit a rhythmic, tattered edge that adds a sense of organic realism. A striking geometric element is introduced through thick, diagonal bands of light and dark blue that slice across the background, creating a sense of refracted light on a dark pond surface. This technical mastery reflects the Scheurer company’s ability to achieve crisp, multi-layered imagery on a textured pile fabric, capturing the romantic and slightly melancholic "fin de siècle" fascination with nocturnal botanical scenes.

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