Thursday 18 April 2013

Alphonse Mucha - part 9



Alphonse (Alfons) Mucha (1860 – 1939) was a Czech painter and decorative artist born in 1860 born in the town of Ivančice, Moravia. He is best known for his luxurious poster and product designs, which encapsulate the Art Nouveau style. Contemporary interest in his work was revived in 1980 after an exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris.

For biographical notes on Mucha see part 1. For earlier works see parts 1 - 8 also.

This is part 9 of a 12-part series on the works of Alphonse Mucha:


1907 Slavia
In 1907 Mucha was commissioned to design a poster for the mutual insurance company ‘Slavi’. He took his inspiration from the portrait of Josephine Crane Bradshaw (completed 1908) he was working on at the time.


1908 Portrait of Josephine Crane Bradley as Slavia 
oil and tempera on canvas 154 x 92.5 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1907 Poster for 'Slavia Insurance Company' 
lithograph 61 x 35 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Slavia Certificate 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Slavia Certificate 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Slavia Letter 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1908 'Peche' 
cromo-lithograph on canvas 106.7 x 74.9 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

n.d. ( before 1908 ) Portrait of a Lady 
oil on canvas 97 x 50 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

n.d. Portrait of a Lady study 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

c1900 Portrait of a Lady photographic study in Mucha’s studio, Rue du Val de Grâce, Paris 
© Mucha Trust

1908 'L'Habitation Pratique' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1908 'L'Habitation Pratique' original artwork
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1908 'L'Habitation Pratique' study 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1908 Harmony 
oil on canvas 136 x 438 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1908 Harmony study 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Harmony 
design for stained glass window

1908 Tragedy and Comedy
In 1908 Mucha was commissioned to decorate the interior of the newly renovated New German Theatre (later Irving Palace Theatre, now demolished) in New York. This included five large decorative panels, the stage curtain, and decorative elements for the foyer, the corridor, the staircase and the auditorium. The central panel was flanked by two vertical panels: Tragedy and Comedy.


New German Theatre
"Architect and Builders" magazine showing Mucha's proscenium panels 'Comedy and Tragedy'

Study for 'Comedy' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Study for 'Comedy' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Photographic study for 'Comedy' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Mucha working on 'Comedy' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Study for 'Tragedy' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Photographic study for 'Tragedy' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Photographic study for 'Tragedy' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Photographic study for 'Tragedy' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Study for 'Truth' 
tempera on canvas 38.5 x 128 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Study for 'Truth' 
tempera on canvas 38.5 x 128 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Study for 'Truth' 
tempera on canvas 38.5 x 128 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Mucha working on 'Truth' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Photographic study for 'Truth' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Photographic study for 'Truth' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Photographic study for 'Truth' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Photographic study for 'Truth' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

c1908 Programme cover for The New German Theatre 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1909 Cover of 'The Literary Digest' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1908 Poster 'Leslie Carter' for Melodrama Kassa Theatre Show 
lithograph 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris
1910 Mucha Alphabet in 3rd Edition of 'Documents Décoratifs' Plate 204 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1909 Maude Adams as Joan of Arc 
oil on canvas 208.9 x 76.2 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1910 Programme cover for  the Irving Palace Theatre 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1910 Spring Night 
oil on canvas 91.4 x 76.8 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1911 'Princess Hyacinth' Ballet-Pantomime 
lithograph 125.5 x 83.5 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1911 'Princess Hyacinth' study 
ink and watercolour on paper 114 x 84 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1911 Poster for 'Moravian Teachers Choir' 
lithograph 181.5 x 80 cm cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1911 Poster for 'Moravian Teachers Choir' detail 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1912 The Municipal House, The Mayor’s Lounge
In 1912 the construction of the Municipal House, a building with a concert hall, gallery, restaurants and several lounges, was completed. Originally. Alphonse Mucha was to have decorated the whole building, but later he was only to decorate the prestigious Lord Mayor’s lounge. Mucha not only designed the pictorial decoration of the ceiling, walls and space above the doors, but also the textiles, ornaments, and all the detailing.


The Municipal House, Prague 
photo © Petr Šmerkl, Wikipedia

The Municipal House, Prague

The Municipal House, Prague

The Municipal House, Prague

The Municipal House, Prague

The Municipal House, Prague

The Municipal House, Prague

The Municipal House, Prague

The Municipal House, Prague

1912 Poster for '6th Sokol Festival' 
lithograph 168.5 x 82.5 cm 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1912 Poster for 'Lottery of National Unity' 
© Alphonse Mucha Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris



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