Whether from featureless egg to finned glory, or limbless larvae to winged fancy, all beings must emerge and transform during their life cycle. The natural world thrums with dramas like the wee chick fighting her way out of her shell. The metaphysical realm is rife with instructive stories about the mighty struggles and small deaths that allow living things to grow and change. On our Emergence journals we present fish, fowl and beetle as envisioned by French artist and Art Nouveau decorator Maurice Pillard Verneuil (1869–1942). Who better to study emergence than an artist who knew all too well what it takes to be transformed. Through work and talent, visual artists develop their technique and their vision and, with luck, come to the attention of an audience ready to receive them. The creatures featured in these marvellous images are shown in clean and vibrant primary colours. They beautifully showcase Verneuil’s ability to capture the essence of flora and fauna and his deep understanding of the Art Deco movement as well as the wonder of transformation.