This monumental centrepiece showcases a motif dear to Lalique, the female figure, which appears here surrounded by fauna and flora. In the centre of a silver and glass lake, atop a water lily flower, a free-standing figure emerges. The oval base of the work is decorated with torsos of half-human half-fantastic figures, holding fish in their arms, from whose open mouths spout jets of water represented in glass.

This centrepiece, purchased by Calouste Gulbenkian from Lalique in 1905 and which the artist exhibited for some time in his house and studio at no. 40 Cours-la-Reine (today Cours Albert 1er) in Paris, is an example of his versatility in making works from a variety of materials. The theme of water and the aquatic environment is a constant in the artist’s work, also featuring in jewellery from the Art Nouveau period or in glass fountains from the industrial period.