Alphonse Mucha was an Art Noveau artist known for his figures and florals. He was born in Czechoslovakia, and remained a staunch supporter of Slavic rights throughout his life. His career truly kicked off in Paris, when his designed the famous “Gismonda” poster for Sarah Bernhardt’s production. The public loved this poster so much that at night, they would razor them off of the walls so that they could keep them as collectables. Mucha enjoyed much success with a six year contract for Sarah Bernhardt, and his work improved with the improvement of lithography technology. Most of his works are lithographs, so that they could be reproduced multiple times, but Mucha also worked in pastel, paint, sculpture, furniture, and jewelry. The subdued pastel palettes and reclining figures are signature to his work, along with sumptuous florals and borders. I enjoy his work because it is beautiful, but also his mastery of proportion and figures is so skillful that there is much to learn from his style. http://www.muchafoundation.org/ |