Lyon, Atelier Travard, circa. 1920-1930. Broadsheet (66.0 x 51.5 cm) on brown, ribbed paper. Original pochoir with additional, extensive gouache painting.

The French firm of Travard was a major designer of wallpaper and textile used for curtains and furniture. Their designs made during the 1920's, rank among the most beautiful Art Deco designs. The designers used various templates in their compositions, and a wide variety of motifs and colours. This one (without Travard blind-stamp, but found among a set of highly similar sheets, many of which with this stamp), in white, yellow, and black, suggests cactus flowers. Marginal creasing, and chipping, and a few tears up to half-way into the edge of the 7 to 8 cm margins; otherwise, fine, the colouring fresh and bright.