Alphonse Mucha

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Mucha, Alphonse (1860–1939). Czech painter and designer. He was born at Ivančice in Moravia and worked as a theatrical scene painter before studying in Munich and then in Paris, where he settled in 1888; it was his main home until about 1905, when he began to spend an increasing amount of time in his homeland. Mucha had a highly varied career, but he is best known for his luxuriantly flowing poster designs, which rank among the most distinctive products of the Art Nouveau style. They often feature beautiful women, but they have nothing of the morbid sexuality typical of the period. Some of the best known were made in the 1890s for the celebrated actress Sarah Bernhardt, for whom Mucha also designed sets, costumes, and jewellery. He was successful in the USA as well as Europe, making four journeys there between 1903 and 1922. A Chicago industrialist and Slavophile, Charles Richard Crane, sponsored his series of twenty huge paintings entitled Slav Epic ( Moravský Krumlov Castle, 1909–28). Although he is so strongly associated with Paris, Mucha was an ardent patriot, and in 1922 he settled in Prague. Czechoslavakia had won its independence only in 1918 and Mucha did a good deal of work for the new nation (giving his services free), including designing its first banknotes and stamps. When the Germans occupied Prague in 1939 (a few months before his death) he was one of the first to be arrested and questioned by the Gestapo. After the war his work was long out of fashion, but a revival of interest began in the 1960s. Since then numerous books and exhibitions have been devoted to him (notably a major exhibition of his paintings, posters, drawings, furniture, and jewellery shown at the Grand Palais, Paris, in 1980, and afterwards in Darmstadt and Prague) and in the popular imagination he has become one of the symbols of the turn-of-the-century era.

Mucha, Alphonse (b Ivančice, Moravia, 24 July 1860; d Prague, 14 July 1939). Czech painter and designer, active for much of his career in Paris. He settled there in 1888, and it was his centre of activity until about 1905, when he began to spend an increasing amount of time in his homeland. His output was highly varied, but he is best known for his luxuriously flowing poster designs, which rank among the most distinctive products of the Art Nouveau style. They often feature beautiful women, but have nothing of the morbid sexuality typical of the period. Some of the best known were made in the 1890s for the celebrated actress Sarah Bernhardt. Mucha also designed sets, costumes, and jewellery for her. He was successful in the USA as well as Europe, making four journeys there between 1903 and 1922; a Chicago industrialist and Slavophile, Charles Richard Crane, sponsored a series of twenty huge paintings entitled Slav Epic (1909–28, Moravsky Krumlov Castle). Although he is so strongly associated with Paris, Mucha was an ardent patriot, and after Czechoslovakia became independent in 1918 he did a good deal of work for the new nation (giving his services free), including designing its first banknotes and stamps. When the Germans occupied Prague in 1939 (a few months before his death) he was one of the first to be arrested and questioned by the Gestapo. After the war his work was long out of fashion, but interest in him has revived so strongly that in the popular imagination he is now one of the symbols of the turn-of-the-century era.

Mucha, Alphonse (1860–1939). Czech painter and designer, active for much of his career in Paris. He settled there in 1888, and it was his centre of activity until about 1905, when he began to spend an increasing amount of time in his homeland. His output was highly varied, but he is best known for his luxuriously flowing poster designs, which rank among the most distinctive products of the Art Nouveau style. They often feature beautiful women, but have nothing of the morbid sexuality typical of the period. Some of the best known were made in the 1890s for the celebrated actress Sarah Bernhardt. Mucha also designed sets, costumes, and jewellery for her. He was successful in the USA as well as Europe, making four journeys there between 1903 and 1922; a Chicago industrialist and Slavophile, Charles Richard Crane, sponsored a series of twenty huge paintings entitled Slav Epic (1909–28, Moravsky Krumlov Castle). Although he is so strongly associated with Paris, Mucha was an ardent patriot, and after Czechoslovakia became independent in 1918 he did a good deal of work for the new nation (giving his services free), including designing its first banknotes and stamps. After his death his work was long out of fashion, but interest in him has revived so strongly that in the popular imagination he is now one of the symbols of the turn-of-the-century era.

Alphonse Mucha , 1860–1939, Czech artist. Mucha's art nouveau style, characterized by twisting, swirling flower and hair motifs, set the style for poster art for a generation. He created celebrated posters for Sarah Bernhardt and designed sets and costumes for her plays. In his later works, primarily academic paintings, Mucha glorified the Slavic peoples.

Bibliography: See biography by his son, J. Mucha (1966); his posters and photographs, ed. by J. Mucha et al. (1972); his graphic work, ed. by J. Mucha (1974); his work in general, ed. by A. Husslein-Arco, J. L. Gaillemen, M. Hilaire, and C. Lange (2009).