Alfons Maria Mucha (1860-1939) was an artist from Bohemia whose work has become a benchmark of Art Nouveau and Art Deco style. Smooth lines, a mixture of elements characteristic of Eastern and Western cultures, framing and frames on drawings and posters, in the center of which were usually drawn actresses or just beauties - the artwork of Mucha is unmistakable.
Poster for the pantomime ballet "Princess Hyacinth"
Alfons Mucha even in his lifetime was considered a great artist, however, he became famous not for his grandiose series of "Slavic Epic", and posters and paintings with beauties, which he created more to earn money than creative self-expression and the call of the heart. But in this direction Mucha's successes were impressive, the Art Deco style itself became associated with the artist's artwork, later there were many imitators who tried to draw like him and in his style, but the original is always more valuable than a Chinese copy.
Spring from the "Seasons" series
Alfons Mucha came from the small town of Ivanice. Already in his childhood he was distinguished by his artistic abilities, he loved to draw, and his father, having seen his drawings, despite the fact that he was only a small official and alone brought up five children, found time to write to the Prague Academy of Arts with a request to accept the boy to study at the artist. But who needs a clueless boy from the deep provinces, Alfons had to study in a gymnasium, from which he was eventually kicked out for failing in his studies.
"The moon and the stars."
He was quite saddened by this event, in a confused state of mind returned home - how to live, how to earn for his needs, and how to look in the eyes of his father, who from the last strength equipped him to the gymnasium. He decided to look in the local church and there he saw a mural painted by the painter Jan Umlauf. And then Mucha thought - it is possible to become an artist, to write, if not great paintings, so some theater posters and signs, at first it is easy to get by with these earnings, and then to create something grandiose.
The apotheosis of the history of Slavicness. From the cycle "Slavic Epic"
At the age of 19, before that, having previously tormented on the dullest position of assistant court clerk, Alfons Mucha began to study at the artist-decorator in Vienna. There was someone to take an example from. He especially admired the artwork of the artist Hans Makart.
Hans Makart. Five Senses
But there was a misfortune - the Vienna Theater burned down, orders for scenery and posters did not become, so the art school where Muha studied, disbanded. Finally upset Alfons Mucha bought a ticket for the nearest train and went to the final destination. It turned out that this is a provincial town of Mikulov. There he painted portraits of local residents, painted theater sets for the theater and even decorated graves in the cemetery.
"Four Times of Day."
And it is not known how his fate would have turned out, maybe he drank himself to sleep in the provincial wilderness, not having found a proper use for his talent, but helped an embarrassment worthy of the works of O Henry or Jerome K. Jerome. Mucha placed an advertisement with the text "For five guilders in the hotel "At the Lion"", and next to it a hand-painted portrait of the wife of the local doctor. He, because of his youth and simplicity of heart, did not even think about the obviously indecent second meaning of this creation, but all the locals did. Rumors of the comic announcement eventually reached the ears of Count Edward Belasi. He came to see the hapless artist, was impressed by his portraits and immediately ordered his castle to be painted.
Autumn from the "Seasons" series
With Belasi, Mucha traveled extensively in Europe, and he paid for him to study in Munich and at the Paris Academy of Arts. However, the Count had money difficulties and Mucha had to make a living on his own, often choosing between buying food or paints.
Dawn
In 1839, the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt needed a poster for the play "Gismonde". It was Christmas, everyone was thinking about vacation and holiday, so only Mucha agreed to do the artwork. And the poster turned out great, Sarah Bernhardt admired it so much that she signed a contract with him for six years.
Playbill for the play Gismonde
Mucha immediately became famous, as if fate had finally decided to thank him for all the ordeals of his youth and adolescence. After there would be many magnificent posters, the iconic cycles of "Seasons" "Stars" and "Flowers". Mucha became one of the most famous set designers, and Sarah Bernhardt's star illuminated his own.
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