5 masterpieces by Alfons Mucha

Born in 1860 in Moravia, Alfons Mucha was one of the pioneers of Art Noveau, a complete artist who left us unique works. After training in Prague, Vienna and Munich, Mucha moved to Paris, where he carried out numerous jobs and it was here that he began to emerge, covering also the role of Art Director for actress Sarah Bernhardt. Here are some of the most appreciated works of the Czech artist:

Gismonda

Among the most important works by Alfons Mucha we find the posters, unique and able to attract attention, as in the case of "Gismonda", created at the age of 34 for actress Sarah Bernhardt. Thanks to this collaboration, Mucha will be able to emerge internationally, in fact, covering not only the role of advertiser, but also of costume designer and set designer, Alfons expresses himself through his art and soon he is considered a master.

JOB

Now famous and appreciated, in addition to the various artists who hires him, various companies also request his services and by the end of the 19th century Alfons Mucha has become one of the most famous artists of the time. The advertisement realized for the French cigarettes JOB, factory that in that period has an enviable turnover, as well as the collaborations with Nestlé and Moët & Chandon are well known.

Biscuits LeFèvre-Utile

Another case in which Alfons Mucha has dealt not only with advertising but with the entire artistic line concerns the collaboration with the biscuit factory LeFèvre-Utile, still in business. In this case, in addition to the advertising posters, Mucha has also designed the boxes, labels and many other products, and besides, the Czech artist is the first to use the abbreviation "LU" which later brought good luck to this famous brand.

Four seasons

The "Four Seasons" is one of Alfons Mucha's most beloved works, a composition that, as you can imagine, represents the various seasons. It is not a work created for advertising purposes, but one of the masterpieces created by the artist. Here too, as in many advertising posters, the main subjects are women and the colours used are chosen and mixed in such a way as to attract the attention, typical of the time.

Beautiful women with very long hair that intertwine with floral arrangements are a must that fall within the principles of Art Nouveau and that can be seen in many works, but Alfons Mucha is able to give a personal touch to each work, make it unique and fascinating, as can be seen in both this work and in others.

Slavic Epic

Although he lives much of his life abroad, Alfons Mucha remains very attached to his homeland and when famous, he begins to paint the Slavic Epic in 1911 and he finishes in 1928. It is a composition of twenty canvases depicting moments inspired by the history of the peoples of Eastern Europe and which also include mystical scenes.

Even though the period of the "Belle Epoque" has gone, thanks to these canvases we have the testimony of what is the real aspiration of the Czech artist, a unique style to which the painter remains faithful until the end.

Article by: Aurora Caraman