Alphonse Marie Mucha was a Czech painter who lived from 1860 until his death in 1939. He was known mainly for his painting, but had a number of other talents including printing, fine jewelry making, sculpting and teaching. He was furthermore a gifted broadsheet artist of popular lithographs. He had a life time interest with religion and mysticism and a ardent patriotic involvement in his own country.
In 1871, Mucha actually attempted to follow a career as a singer when he joined the choir at St Peter's Cathedral in Brno, the Czech Republic, where he went to grammar school. His singing goals however were unfortunately cut short in 1875 when his voice started to break in the midst of his teenage years. At this point Mucha took up drawing lessons since he was not able to pursue his singing any further.
Around two years later, Alphonse Mucha applied for admission to the Academy of Visual Arts in Prague but was unsuccessful in his effort to be accepted. He was not deterred by this and he continued his drawing lessons. He had his first break in 1879 when he obtained a job in Vienna as an assistant in a firm that made stage sets. It was an education for him, especially in the art of interior decorating and design. Mucha's design and painting skills were developing and improving, so much so, that a local nobleman, Count Karl Khuen-Belassi, was so impressed by Mucha, that he commissioned him to redecorate the Emmahof Castle in Moravia. The Count also agreed to sponsor his formalized art education at about the time of 1884.
His method of painting grew and began having a significant impact on many of his compatriots at the time, including other painters, artists and designers. He did not welcome the celebrity which found him during his working life and believed that the real and the true form of art should ascend the material trappings of life.
The principle style of painting which Alphonse Mucha pioneered and became connected with was Art Nouveau, the French term for 'new art' which was an artistic style and form of depicting art from around the 1880's up to 1910. The characteristic style of Art Noveau placed focus on natural curved and linear designs and floral emblems and was used mainly in other art design and forms such as architecture, sculpture and jewelry design. Of all his varied work, Alphonse Mucha was best known for his flowing and luxurious poster designs in the form of broadsheets. These are generally ranked among some of the finest work of the Art Noveau period. Many of the depictions featured glamorous women but these were in no way graphic or sexual which typified the other painting art forms of the period. Some of his best work was produced for the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt around the 1890's. Mucha was engaged in doing quite a varied amount of work for Bernhardt which included set design, costume design and jewelry. Mucha became successful in the USA as well as Europe and often travelled to the States.
Alphonse Mucha died in 1939, the year of the start of the Second World War. After the war, his style of art and his paintings and broadsheet depictions were unfavorably out of style. About the 1960's however, there was a revival and renewed fascination with his work and the Art Nouveau style. Ever since then, many books and shows have been written and dedicated to the work of Alphonse Mucha and there was a major showing of his paintings, broadsheet posters, drawings, jewelry and even furniture design at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1980. He has lived on in popular culture and has grown into one of the most influential figures in the Art Nouveau genre.
In 1871, Mucha actually attempted to follow a career as a singer when he joined the choir at St Peter's Cathedral in Brno, the Czech Republic, where he went to grammar school. His singing goals however were unfortunately cut short in 1875 when his voice started to break in the midst of his teenage years. At this point Mucha took up drawing lessons since he was not able to pursue his singing any further.
Around two years later, Alphonse Mucha applied for admission to the Academy of Visual Arts in Prague but was unsuccessful in his effort to be accepted. He was not deterred by this and he continued his drawing lessons. He had his first break in 1879 when he obtained a job in Vienna as an assistant in a firm that made stage sets. It was an education for him, especially in the art of interior decorating and design. Mucha's design and painting skills were developing and improving, so much so, that a local nobleman, Count Karl Khuen-Belassi, was so impressed by Mucha, that he commissioned him to redecorate the Emmahof Castle in Moravia. The Count also agreed to sponsor his formalized art education at about the time of 1884.
His method of painting grew and began having a significant impact on many of his compatriots at the time, including other painters, artists and designers. He did not welcome the celebrity which found him during his working life and believed that the real and the true form of art should ascend the material trappings of life.
The principle style of painting which Alphonse Mucha pioneered and became connected with was Art Nouveau, the French term for 'new art' which was an artistic style and form of depicting art from around the 1880's up to 1910. The characteristic style of Art Noveau placed focus on natural curved and linear designs and floral emblems and was used mainly in other art design and forms such as architecture, sculpture and jewelry design. Of all his varied work, Alphonse Mucha was best known for his flowing and luxurious poster designs in the form of broadsheets. These are generally ranked among some of the finest work of the Art Noveau period. Many of the depictions featured glamorous women but these were in no way graphic or sexual which typified the other painting art forms of the period. Some of his best work was produced for the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt around the 1890's. Mucha was engaged in doing quite a varied amount of work for Bernhardt which included set design, costume design and jewelry. Mucha became successful in the USA as well as Europe and often travelled to the States.
Alphonse Mucha died in 1939, the year of the start of the Second World War. After the war, his style of art and his paintings and broadsheet depictions were unfavorably out of style. About the 1960's however, there was a revival and renewed fascination with his work and the Art Nouveau style. Ever since then, many books and shows have been written and dedicated to the work of Alphonse Mucha and there was a major showing of his paintings, broadsheet posters, drawings, jewelry and even furniture design at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1980. He has lived on in popular culture and has grown into one of the most influential figures in the Art Nouveau genre.
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Produced by William Martin of Masterpiece Art Classic art on t-shirts, cards, mugs, wall art and more. Come to Alphonse Mucha page to see more.
