From 1895 to 1910 Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939) was one of the most significant artists in all of Europe and considered by many as the creator of the Art Nouveau style.
His work became synonymous with the international Art Nouveau style, popularly called “le style Mucha” in Paris at the turn of the century. With a focus on the works created during the 1890s, this exhibition shows a creative man exploring possibilities when the emphasis was on defining a new art, fit for the new century. Mucha’s successes in many fields of creativity are revealed in the exhibition, dedicated to the broad range of his work. Organized in three sections — posters, book and journal illustrations and The Slav Epic — the exhibition focuses on the ways Mucha revitalized an interest in these media. It provides an opportunity to see how the different media, clients and objectives reflect the time period in which the artist lived and worked.
Mucha’s designs for posters, calendars, books and advertising labels circulated widely throughout Europe and America, and his Art Nouveau style dominated visual culture and graphic design for years. Highlights of the exhibition include four versions of a monumental poster Mucha created in 1894 for actress Sarah Bernhardt’s play “Gismonda” and two posters advertising Job cigarette papers (1896 and 1898).
“Alphonse Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau” includes vintage lithographs, original drawings, paintings, books, advertising ephemera, and more. Works and objects in this exhibition are drawn from the holdings of the Dhawan Collection, Los Angeles, one of the largest and finest collections of Alphonse Mucha’s work in the United States.
“The Art Nouveau Posters of Alphonse Mucha” with Angelina Lippert
Recorded December 12, 2021
A talk by Angelina Lippert, chief curator at Poster House, on Alphonse Mucha and his work during his Paris Period.
Exhibition and museum tour organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, California.