Alphonse Mucha: short biography and works. Czech artist Alphonse Mucha and his paintings Alphonse Mucha everything for everyone genre

Alfons Maria Mucha was born in the Czech town of Ivančice, near Brno,
in the family of a minor court official. The courthouse where the artist's father worked still stands today.
and now the Mucha Jr. Museum is open in it.

The boy drew well from childhood and tried to enter the Prague Academy of Arts, but was unsuccessful.
After high school, he worked as a clerk until he found a job as an assistant through an advertisement.
decorative artist at the Vienna Ringtheater and did not move to the capital of Austria-Hungary.
In Vienna, he attended drawing courses in the evenings and made his first illustrations
to folk songs. After the theater burned down, Alphonse was forced to move to
the Czech city of Mikulov, where he painted portraits of local nobles.
There he met Count Kuen-Belasi, a man who played a very important role in his life.
Mucha was decorating the count's castle, and the aristocrat was fascinated by his work.
As a result, Kuen-Belasi became a patron of the young artist.
He paid for Alfons two years of study at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.
In 1888, Mucha moved to Paris and continued his education there.
Many at that time flocked to the capital of France - after all, then it was the center of new art:
Eiffel had already designed a three-hundred-meter tower, the World Exhibitions were noisy, and artists were breaking
canons and promoted freedom. However, the count's financial affairs worsened,
and Mucha was left without a livelihood.
In Paris, Alphonse Mucha took up design for the first time, established connections with publishing houses,
started creating covers and illustrations. He painted in oils
and his paintings were translated into woodcuts.
He for a long time worked on small orders until Sarah Bernhardt appeared in his life -
brilliant French actress.
Perhaps Mukha would have achieved success without her, but who knows...

Sarah Bernhardt

Sarah Bernhardt

Sarah Bernhardt on Mucha's poster for the play Gismonda.

In 1893, before Christmas, Mucha received an order to create a poster for the play Gismonda.
Renaissance Theater, owned by Sarah Bernhardt.
The artist depicted a prima who played in the play main role, on an unusually shaped poster -
long and narrow. This emphasized her regal posture, the flowing hair of the actress Mucha
decorated with a wreath of flowers, placed a palm branch in his thin hand, and gave languor to his gaze,
having created general mood tenderness and bliss. Nobody had done anything like this before Mukha.
To get the poster, collectors bribed posters or cut “Gismonda” from fences at night.
It is not surprising that the actress wanted to meet the author and entered into a cooperation contract with him.
Bernard Alphonse worked at the theater for six years. “Lady with Camellias”, “Medea”, “Samaritan Woman”,
“Lorenzachio” - all these posters depicting Bernard were no less popular than “Gismonda”.

Lady with camellias

Samaritan woman

Hamlet

He came up with sketches of theatrical costumes and scenery, designed the stage and even participated in directing.
At the end of the 19th century, the theater was the center social life, they talked about him and
they argued in salons, in the theater ladies demonstrated new toilets and
jewelry, and the men showed off the ladies -
V general theater was food for inspiration and gossip.

Gems

Amethyst

Emerald

In the same Art Nouveau style, the artist created colorful graphic series:
“Seasons”, 1896, “Seasons”, 1899, “Flowers”, 1897, “Months”, 1899, “Stars”, 1900,
which are still widely circulated in the form of art posters to this day.

Luxurious, sensual and languid “Mukha women” were replicated

Poetry

Painting

Music

A little later, Mucha also began to collaborate with the then famous
jeweler Georges Fouquet, who created jewelry based on the artist’s sketches
products. Mukha-style jewelry is still popular today.
During the same period, Mucha developed many packaging, labels and
advertising illustrations for goods and products of various kinds -
starting from expensive Moet & Chandon champagne and ending
toilet soap.

Cleopatra

Head of a Byzantine Blonde

These two compositions, one of which depicts the profile of a blonde, and the other of a brunette,
are among the most expressive works of Alphonse Mucha. In addition to skillfully captured faces
and richness of color nuances, their charm lies in luxurious and fantastic headdresses,
evoking the vanished splendor of Byzantine culture.

Head of a Byzantine Brunette

During the six-year collaboration between the actress and Alphonse Mucha
Warm and friendly relations arose, as evidenced by their
correspondence. And love? Did Sarah Bernhardt bewitch the Fly in the same way as
galaxies of many other men? Of course, reporters did not remain silent
the actress's relationship with the Czech artist, especially since his name was
speaking in its own way: the same name of the character in the comedy Dumas the son
"Monsieur Alphonse", living off his mistresses.
Some even recommended that he change his name or sign with his godfather's name - Maria.
However, Mucha was not Alphonse in the meaning that Dumas put into this name.
In his correspondence with Bernard there is no hint of what was being gossiped about in high society.

Zodiac

Daydreaming

Indeed, after concluding a contract with Bernard, orders began pouring in for Mukha,
he acquired a spacious workshop, became a welcome guest in high society, where he often appeared
in an embroidered Slavophile blouse, belted with a sash.

A. Mucha Self-portraits

He also had the opportunity to organize personal exhibitions.
In February 1897 in Paris, in a tiny room of a private gallery
"La Bordiniere", his first exhibition opens - 448 drawings, posters and
sketches. It was an incredible success, and soon the people of Vienna
Prague and London got the opportunity to see all this too.

Alphonse Mucha was a singer female beauty. Women on
his lithographs are attractive and, as they would say now, sexy.
“Les Femmes Muchas” (“le femme Mucha”, “the women of Mucha”) -
languid, lush and graceful.
A complex interweaving of clothing folds, curls, colors, patterns.
Impeccable composition, perfection of lines and harmony of color.
The Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, like many other artists of his time,
pierced by the arrow of new art. It is interesting that the artist’s tastes required him to even
new technical solutions in the field of lithography. Art Nouveau, or Art Nouveau, swept Europe from
early 1880s, and only the First World War returned to the prose of life
lovers of beauty.

Ivy

Thistle

And then academic norms were collapsing, art critics were loudly arguing, fashion
included oriental motifs. Painters abandoned straight lines,
fantastic lilies, daffodils and orchids bloomed on the canvases,
Butterflies and dragonflies fluttered. Art Nouveau artists believed in the possibility of achieving
harmony with nature, simplicity and moderation, contrasting them with Victorian luxury.
Expressed in art, these virtues were supposed to contribute to the harmonization
relationships between people - after all, beauty now seemed not like something abstract,
beauty has become synonymous with truth.
And, of course, Prince Myshkin’s phrase “Beauty will save the world” was inscribed on the banners of supporters of everything new.

Flowers

One of the first theorists of Art Nouveau was the English painter and art critic John Ruskin.
His ideas were quickly picked up by British Pre-Raphaelite artists who followed
traditions of Florentine masters early Renaissance(“Pre-Raphaelites”, that is, “before Raphael”).
Their brotherhood included John William Waterhouse, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti...
those of whom England is now proud. The Pre-Raphaelite brush created a new female image
la femme fatale (“la femme fatale”, “the fatal woman”) - mysterious, mystical and beautiful.
The artists' muses were Proserpina, Psyche, Ophelia, Lady of Shalott -
victims of tragic or unrequited love. And the painters drew inspiration from their stormy
personal life. It was these images that fascinated Alphonse Mucha.

Carnation

Princess Hyacinth

Moon

The series “Seasons”, “Art”, “Precious Stones”, “Moon and Stars” and
other interesting lithographs that were republished as postcards,
playing cards and sold out instantly - they all depicted women.
Mucha worked a lot with models, whom he invited to his studio, drew and photographed them
in luxurious draperies. He provided photographs of models with comments -
“beautiful hands”, “beautiful hips”, “beautiful profile”...
and then from the selected “parts” he put together the perfect picture.
Often, while painting, Mucha covered the models’ faces with a scarf so that they
imperfection did not destroy the ideal image he had invented.

Nature

At the turn of the century, Alphonse Mucha became a real master, to whom he carefully
listened to in artistic circles.
Sometimes even the Art Nouveau style in France was called the “Mukha style.”
Therefore, it seems natural that the artist’s book was published in 1901
"Decorative documentation".
This is a visual guide for artists, on the pages of which
various ornamental patterns, fonts, drawings were reproduced
furniture, various utensils, cutlery sets, jewelry, watches, combs, brooches.
The original technique is lithography, gouache, pencil and charcoal drawing.

In 1906, Alphonse Mucha went to America to earn money.
necessary to make all his dreams come true creative life:
creating paintings for the glory of their Motherland and all the Slavs.
In the same year he married his student Maria Khitilova, whom he passionately loved and
who was 22 years younger than him.

Master Mucha among female images episode "Four Seasons".
Image on the wall of a jewelry boutique in Austin, Texas.

Few people know about the monumental historical paintings of Alphonse Mucha.
but the world still admires his “women’s collections”,
although the artist himself considered only these paintings to be the main work of his life..
In 1910 he returned to Prague and concentrated all his efforts
on “Slavic Epic”. This monumental cycle was given to them as a gift
to the Czech people and the city of Prague, but was not successful with criticism.

At the same time, he developed a sketch for the stained glass window of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague
(honoring Saints Cyril and Methodius)
and painted many portraits of his wife, two daughters, and son Jiri.
After the proclamation of the Republic in 1918, Mucha was entrusted with the production of the first Czechoslovak
postage stamps, banknotes and the state emblem.

Panel from the cycle "Slavic Epic"

In the spring of 1913, Alphonse Mucha went to Russia to collect materials for future paintings in the cycle.
The artist visited St. Petersburg and Moscow, where he visited the Tretyakov Gallery.
The Trinity-Sergius Lavra made a particularly strong impression on him.
The choice of the year of travel to Russia was not accidental. In 1913, the three hundredth anniversary of the Romanov dynasty was celebrated.

Our Father

And one more very important side of the life of this great admirer of female beauty
(just look at his poetic portraits of women).
His personal and family life. Against the backdrop of many loves, Mucha has always been
happy with love for the only one. In 1906, already forty-six years old,
famous, he married his young student in Paris and
compatriot Maria Shitilova. She was and remained until the end of her life
his favorite Muse, his model. Was younger than the artist for 22 years. AND
adored him. Sincerely and selflessly. For by the time of their marriage his debts
were much larger than his fortune. However, they both knew: "money is a thing
profitable” - and with uneven, irregular incomes, they gave birth to and raised a son and
two daughters - red-haired beauties, so similar in face and article to
dazzling mother. Then he painted them, daughters, and
singing lines of their figures, in their features I still found her, my adored
Maria, because until the last hour he did not want and could not get rid of her charms.

Daughters

Yaroslav's daughter

Artist

Young girl in Moravian costume

Woman with a burning candle

Mucha died in 1939 from pneumonia. The cause of the illness was arrest and interrogation
in the German-occupied Czech capital: the painter’s Slavophilism was so well known
that he was even included in the named lists of enemies of the Reich.

Fate

A museum in Prague is dedicated to the work of Alphonse Mucha.
exposition of the cycle “Slavic Epic” in Moravian Krumlov and an exhibition about early years his life
in a renovated former building. courts in Ivančice.
Mucha's works are included in the collections of many prominent museums and galleries around the world.
Construction plans are currently being developed in Prague's Stromovka Park,
not far from the former exhibition complex, a special building for exhibiting the “Slavic Epic”.

The end of the 19th century. Fin-de-siècle. In Europe, Art Nouveau or Art Nouveau reigns supreme. Academic norms are crumbling to the accompaniment of loud disputes between art critics. Straight lines are replaced by floral curls, and Victorian luxury is replaced by the desire to achieve harmony with nature. Alphonse Mucha, like many other artists of his time, was covered by a wave of new art. "Women of the Muchas" ("Les Femmes Muchas") became the personification of Art Nouveau.

in the photo: fragment of the painting “Laurel” by Alphonse Mucha, 1901

La Femme Fatale look

Dramatically changed social role women and the symbolists’ desire for simplicity and puritanism give rise to a hostile attitude towards a sexually attractive woman. This is how a new female image is created - la femme fatale (“the femme fatale”). Symbolists, inspired by the poetic images of Proserpina, Psyche, Ophelia, and the Lady of Shalott, paint mysterious, ephemeral women. But, at the same time, their nervousness, often hysteria, is striking. Sometimes they are even ugly and disgusting.

Sharing the general ideas of the Symbolists, Mucha managed to create the image of a beautiful, curvy, graceful woman. She seemed frozen between the world of people and the world of gods. She is a demigoddess, a deity of nature, the embodiment of Fate itself. And, contrary to the fact that Alphonse Mucha himself considered the main work of his life to be 20 monumental canvases on historical themes under the general title “Slavic Epic”, it was “women” who became fateful in his life. Moreover, both in quotes and without them. Just women.

Series Time of day: Day rush, Morning awakening, Evening reverie, Night rest

Alphonse Mucha: early years

Alfons Maria Mucha was born in 1860 in the Czech town of Ivančice near Brno. Here he met his first love, but soon the girl, like most of his brothers and sisters, died of tuberculosis. Alphonse will call his future daughter by her name - Yaroslava, and her image will appear in his work for a long time.

Portrait of daughter Yaroslava, 1930

Series Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

Theater in the life of Alphonse Mucha: "Gismonda", Sarah Bernhardt

Mucha's first acquaintance with the theater occurred in Vienna when he was 19 years old. Mucha perceived the illusory nature of the theater very organically, since as a boy he sang in the church choir of the city of Brno for several years. In 1887, having received financial assistance from a friend of the arts, Mucha moved to Paris - the center cultural life Europe. Of course, the first time is extremely difficult for a young artist. He works part-time as a designer and eats only lentils and beans for months. But moving in bohemian circles and meeting Paul Gauguin and August Strindberg played a decisive role in his formation as an artist. From them, Mucha learns about symbolism and synthetic art.

But one phone call changed the life of Alphonse Mucha completely and irrevocably. It happened on December 26, 1894, when the artist, replacing his friend, worked part-time at the Lemercier Theater. The director of the publishing house, Brunhoff, received a call from Sarah Bernhardt and asked to urgently make a poster for her new play “Gismonda”. All the staff artists were on Christmas break, the director looked at Mucha in despair. It was impossible to refuse Divine Sarah.

The poster drawn by Mucha created a sensation in poster design. I was struck by both its size (about 2 m by 0.7 m) and the author’s new style. Collectors fought for every copy of the poster, even cutting them off fences. Mucha became famous overnight. Satisfied, Sarah Bernhardt offered Mucha a 5-year contract to develop designs for posters, costumes, decorations and scenery for her performances. In addition, Mucha enters into an exclusive contract with the Champenois publishing house for the production of commercial and decorative posters.

Of course, neither the press nor the public ignored the relationship between the brilliant actress and the young artist. Moreover, the name of the latter spoke for itself. At that time, the hero of Dumas Jr.'s play "Monsieur Alphonse", who lived at the expense of his mistresses, was very popular. The fact that Alphonse Mucha's well-being more than improved after signing a contract with Sarah Bernhardt is undeniable. But at the time they met, Mukha was 34, and Sarah Bernhardt was 50 years old. Mucha wrote that, of course, Bernard is irresistible, but “on stage, under artificial lighting and careful makeup.” Rather, Sarah Bernhardt's attitude towards the artist can be compared to the patronage of an older sister. But her role in his life is difficult to overestimate.

Models of Alphonse Mucha

In his new studio, Alphonse Mucha works a lot with models. He draws and photographs them in luxurious clothes and jewelry. He adds comments to the photos like “beautiful hands”, “beautiful hips”, “beautiful back”. Then from individual parts folds perfect image. It happened that Mucha even covered the models’ faces with a scarf if they were discordant with the image created by his imagination.

Models of Alphonse Mucha

Marushka

Alphonse Mucha's true love was Maria Chytilova. Also of Czech nationality, a young girl (more than 20 years younger than Mucha) fell in love with the artist after seeing him at the Prague National Theater. Soon she herself arranges their meeting and acquaintance, and poses for the master for a long time. Mukha has a new muse, he calls her Marushka. And all the women who came before Khitilova are defined by Mukha as “strangers.” After all, there was still in his heart real love only to his homeland, and he so dreamed of finding “a Czech heart, a Czech girl.”

“How wonderful and joyful it is to live for someone, before you I had only one shrine - our homeland, and now I have erected an altar and for you, dear, I pray for both of you...” wrote Mukha.

Portrait of the artist's wife Marushka, 1905

Mucha creates fewer and fewer demigoddesses, drawing a real woman, as well as portraits of his daughter Yaroslava and son Jiri. And upon returning to his homeland, the Czech Republic, the artist takes up the implementation of his life’s project - the “Slavic Epic”. The paintings created by Mucha over almost 15 years are so grandiose and monumental that only a castle in the town of Moravsky Krumlov in the Czech Republic could house them. All of them, by the way, were donated by the artist himself to the residents of Prague.

Fate

There was another Woman who occupied a special place in the life and work of Mucha. It was Fate. Fascinated by the occult, spiritualism and psychics, the artist firmly believed in the finger of Fate, in a happy accident. In his opinion, it is Fate that leads a person through life and determines his actions. This woman also appeared in Mukha’s paintings.

Painting "Fate", 1920

With the advent of avant-garde ideas and the flourishing of functionalism, Alphonse Mucha lost his relevance as an artist and decorator. The Nazis, having occupied the Czech lands, added his name to the list of enemies of the Reich. He is arrested, accused of Slavophilism and connections with the Freemasons, and interrogated. As a result, the 79-year-old artist falls ill and dies of pneumonia.

During the Bolshevik regime in Czechoslovakia, Mucha's work was considered bourgeois-decadent. And only in the 1960s, through the efforts of the artist’s children, his works resumed their participation in international exhibition activities. And in 1998, the Mucha Museum was opened in Prague and a cultural foundation named after him was created.

July 24 marks the 156th anniversary of the birth of the world famous Czech artist, illustrator, jewelry designer, poster artist Alphonse Mucha. He is called one of the most famous representatives Art Nouveau style and the creator of his own unique style. “Women of the Fly” (images of seasons, time of day, flowers, etc. in female images) are known throughout the world for their open sensuality and captivating grace.

Alphonse Maria Mucha is a famous Czech artist, the brightest representative of art nouveau, whose works are admired to this day. His masterpieces, which gained great popularity even at the time of their creation, are now circulated in hundreds of copies. Paintings Alphonse Mucha is decorated with elite mansion buildings, his style of execution is copied by the world's largest designers, his sketches are included in their works by stylists and even tattoo artists.

Childhood

The future artist Alphonse Mucha was born in the second half of the 19th century - July 24, 1860 in a small cozy town in the south of the Czech Republic. Alphonse received both Moravian and Polish roots from his parents. In addition to the future artist, father Ondrej Mucha, and mother Amalia, there were five more children in the family. Thanks to the fact that Alphonse’s father worked as a court official, and his mother received some of the funds from wealthy relatives, the family did not go hungry. There was enough money for decent clothing, education and some social entertainment.

Even as a child, Alphonse Mucha showed various creative abilities - at an early age he was noticed to have acute ear for music, later - acting data. Around 10-11 years old, the future artist was accepted into the youth choir of the chapel of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. His participation in this choir allowed the boy to enter a good gymnasium for those times, where he received both church and secular education.

Youth

As I studied, my passion for music began to subside, while my passion for fine arts only increased. Having graduated from high school at the age of 19, Mucha tries to enter the Academy of Arts in Prague. After the attempt was unsuccessful due to the entrance exams, Alphonse tries to develop himself in painting on his own. He paints theater posters and invitation cards, studies various artistic genres and shapes.

The beginning of a creative career

Theater master Brishy-Burghardt invites Mucha to his workshop as a decorator of original and bright posters. Having agreed to work in his workshop, Alphonse moves from Bruno to Vienna, where he works for exactly a year and a half, until a severe fire destroys the workshop. Fired due to the bankruptcy of Brichy-Burghardt, Mucha heads to small town Mikulov, where Count Kuen-Belassi invited him to paint his castle. The work produced by Alphonse impressed the count, which is why he offers the aspiring artist to also paint the second castle, which was created for his wife Emma Kuen-Belassi.

After traveling together with the Count and his wife across Europe, Mucha goes to Munich. There he enters the Academy of Fine Arts. Nevertheless, Alphonse only had enough time to study painting at the Academy for exactly two years - in 1887, the artist again took work from Kuen-Belassi and for some time lived on the funds received from him. In the same year, Alphonse decides to move to Paris. IN this city he is accepted for training by two prestigious institutions at once - the Julian Academy and the Colarossi Academy. At the same time, Mukha is under strong impression from Makarta’s works, he works to create his own individual style, incorporating into it those artistic fundamentals, which will be reflected in his works until the end of his life.

A cloudless life in Paris abruptly turns into numerous problems when Count Couen-Belassi, on whose money Mucha lived, dies. The artist refuses to study at the academy and begins to make a living by painting posters, posters and even restaurant menus. Having started receiving regular orders, Alphonse Mucha opens his own small workshop.

In 1892, the artist received a large order for the design of the work. historical content. It was precisely the experience gained by Mucha when creating illustrations for this work, subsequently formed the basis of his most famous series of paintings - “Slavic Epic”.

Parisian period

A turning point in the fate and style of the work was an order for the design of a premiere poster from a famous theater. Mucha had to create an illustration for the play “Gismond,” in which actress Sarah Bernhardt played one of the main roles. Admired by her incredible femininity and sophistication of her image, Alphonse creates a work that immediately attracts the eyes of all Parisians to the young artist.

The smoothness of lines, softness of outlines and a certain airiness of Mucha’s style make him the main decorator of the Renaissance Theater. Impressed by Alphonse's illustration, Sarah Bernhardt insists on meeting him. Their romantic relationship, having quickly flared up, died out just as quickly.

Climbing

In subsequent years, Alphonse Mucha created a number of famous posters, which firmly established him as one of best illustrators and painters (1896 - “Lady with Camellias”, “Medea”, 1897 - “Samaritan Woman”, “Tosca”, etc.). The artist's fame is growing. Mucha receives a wide variety of orders - from creating theatrical costumes for a play to interior design. At the same time, Alphonse began to act as a jewelry designer - he created earrings and rings, as well as boxes, candlesticks, brooches and even hairpins. Glory talented artist, offering something completely new, “modern” and at the same time aesthetically harmonious, is rapidly spreading throughout France.

Slightly abstracting from his own successes in the field of illustration, artist Alphonse Mucha is trying to create entire series of works united by one integral idea or thought. From under his hand appear such series as “Seasons”, “Trees”, “Moon and Stars”.

Exhibitions of works by Alphonse Mucha are organized in largest cities Europe. In 1895, the artist encountered the Symbolists and briefly joined them. Mucha's acquaintance with the Lumière brothers (creators of the first motion picture camera and moving image) encourages him to experiment with creating own works- later, while working on the “Slavic Epic” series, the artist will use photographs of models he photographed as the basis for the painting (a photo of Alphonse Mucha at work is presented below). In 1900, Alphonse helped decorate one of the pavilions of the World Exhibition held in France. During his work, Mucha became closely acquainted with the history of the Slavs, which left a certain imprint on his subsequent works.

Moving to America

In 1905, Alphonse Mucha received an invitation from the American Society of Illustrators. The artist moves, becomes a teacher in a large art institution. In 1906, he proposed marriage to Maria Khitinova. During his stay in America, Mucha receives many large orders. Nevertheless, despite the fame and universal admiration, the artist is increasingly drawn to his homeland every year, where he has not been for a long time. In 1910, Alphonse Mucha resigned from his position as a teacher and returned with his wife to the Czech Republic.

Return to homeland and creation of the “Slavic Epic” series

Tired of excess fame, modernity with its false materialistic ideals, Mucha leaves the city, where he begins to actively draw in one of the castles. The ideas that he accumulated throughout his life and which were finally formed during his residence in America, make it possible to produce such great works as “Slavs in the Historical Homeland”, “Our Father”, “Slavic Liturgy”, etc. Huge canvases, which sometimes did not fit indoors due to their size, reflected the history of the persecution of the Slavs, their holidays, the development of their cultural heritage.

Eighteen years later, having completed twenty major works of his life, Alphonse Mucha presents his paintings to Prague as his first muse and homeland. However, these paintings were not fully appreciated by the audience - for long years While Mucha was working in his castle, a sharp change occurred both in the worldview and in the consciousness of people. The age of Art Nouveau had arrived, and the gentle, feminine, grand and utopian ideas of Art Nouveau were already “outdated.”

World War II and the death of Alphonse Mucha

The war that soon began forced Mucha to hide his paintings, as he understood that they would be one of the first items on the destruction list. In 1939, during the Second World War, German soldiers, having captured the Czech Republic, long and painfully tortured the already middle-aged artist about the location of the main paintings of his life. Without revealing the secret, Alphonse Mucha fell ill from the suffering he suffered and died on July 14, 1939.

The paintings that the Gestapo tried so hard to find out about were saved almost miraculously - one of its employees rolled them into scrolls and hid them in the basement of the dilapidated museum. Thereby daring act, which could have cost the man his life, the paintings were saved.

Alphonse Mucha's style

The artist is known throughout the world as the greatest representative of Art Nouveau. His works were distinguished by their special sophistication, almost fairy-tale grace, where light and shadow, interacting, create an airy haze, making the space of the picture seem foggy and slightly fuzzy, “out of focus.”

On his canvases, Alphonse Mucha depicts women as heroines of a poetic ballad - with regular, noble features and alluring smiles, with bright eyes and luxurious hair, framing their bodies with continuous patterned curls, they appear to the audience either in the form of seasons, then in the form of stars, or in the form of princesses and queens.

His more serious works, completed at the end of his life and included in entire series of paintings, were created with the professionalism of a great artist. A variety of feelings appear in the characters’ emotions: anger, rage, despair, pain, fear, happiness, jubilation, gloating, etc. Later paintings give viewers the opportunity to enjoy not only the aesthetics of the image, but also to delve into the deep psychologism captured on the canvas.

The artist’s most famous paintings include:

1. series "Seasons";
2. series “Moon and Stars”;
3. series “Slavic Epic”;
4. "Our Father" series;
5. "Madonna of the Lilies";
6. "Spirit of Spring";
7. “The Girl with Her Hair”, etc.

The description of Alphonse Mucha’s paintings “The Seasons” begins with the heroines captured on canvas. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter are depicted as women leading certain forces of nature.

In the painting “Summer” the heroine, languishing from the heat, looks at the viewer with a slight sleepy half-smile. Her hot, slender body and blush on her cheeks exude warmth and sunny heat, the atmosphere of which is plausibly conveyed in the mixture of colors and airiness, the “humidity” of the summer air. The description of the painting and poster by Alphonse Mucha called “Winter” is exactly the opposite. The heroine of the painting “Winter,” on the contrary, is wrapped in clothes. This is the beauty of Alphonse Mucha’s “The Seasons” - the dissimilarity of the paintings. So, slightly pulling her head into her shoulders and raising her hands, red from the cold, to her face, the girl thereby conveys an atmosphere of genuine coldness and restraint of all natural colors.

Alphonse Mucha, "Slavic Epic"

"Slavic Epic" - a series of twenty paintings reflecting Slavic unity, the idea of ​​belonging. Each of the works has enormous dimensions for the canvases (approximately 6*8 meters). Amazing color, richness, drama and deep psychological overtones made these paintings the property of the Czech Republic.

Most famous paintings from the series “Slavic Epic”:

1. “Slavs in their ancestral homeland”;
2. "Introduction of Slavic liturgy";
3. "Mount Athos";
4. “Apotheosis of the history of the Slavs”;
5. “Meeting in Krizki”;
6. "Svetotite Festival based on Ruga".

Girls posters

The artist’s famous posters and posters, which depict poetic female images, are still in circulation in hundreds of copies. The main thing in the description of Alphonse Mucha's paintings and posters is a girl.

Long hair blowing in the light wind, shining in the sun, frames the sensual girls’ faces, giving them a certain resemblance to the Christian Madonna. Slender bodies, dressed in flowing smoky clothes, invariably stand out against a slightly darkened background, as if receding into the distance. Each of the girls has a large number of different decorations - the abundance of small ornate details, multi-colored spots and curls is what once made A. Mucha the most famous representative of art nouveau.

The description of the painting, poster by Alphonse Mucha “Girl with Flowing Hair” may look like this. It can be called the most uncharacteristic of the artist’s style. The absence of colorful details and any interest of the sitter in the artist and the canvas he created, bowed shoulders, which reflected fatigue and sadness, and the presence of an ordinary everyday atmosphere surprised contemporaries at one time. The description of Alphonse Mucha's poster can be continued endlessly... Nevertheless, this painting managed to prove that Mucha is capable of accurately conveying psychological experiences, peaks of emotional and sensual unrest. Several other works were also executed in a similar style, including a portrait of the artist’s daughter Yaroslava.

Alphonse Mucha, a Czech artist whose name has become a symbol of the Golden Age of painting in the West, is practically unknown in our country. Meanwhile, the talented master left a deep mark on the history of art, introducing his own unique style, which is still called the “Mukha style.” What is the secret and tragedy of the fate of the famous artist? This is what our article is about.

Biography

Alphonse Mucha was born in 1860 in the town of Ivančice (Moravia). His father was a court official, and his mother was the daughter of a wealthy miller. Since childhood, the boy showed his creative inclinations, becoming interested in singing. Already in school age He began to draw, and after graduating from high school he decided to enter the Academy of Arts in Prague. He failed his exams, so he had to look for a job. The father gets his son a job as a clerk in court, and in free time Alphonse Mucha works part-time in the theater. He tries himself as an actor, and then as a poster decorator. It was a time of creative wandering and self-searching. For some time he works as a scenery designer for the theater, and then he is invited to paint the walls of the castle of Count Kuen-Belassi. The Count, admiring the artist's talent, agrees to pay for his education at the Munich Academy of Arts.

Confession

After training, Alphonse Mucha moved to Paris. However, by this time his patron dies, and the artist is left without a livelihood. To do what you love, you need expensive paints, brushes and paper. To feed themselves, the future celebrity is forced to earn a living by making posters, posters, invitations and calendars. But fate is favorable to the genius. One such poster radically changes Alphonse’s life. famous actress, for whose presentation Mukha wrote an order, recommends him as the chief decorator of the Renaissance Theater. The artist instantly becomes famous. There was no end to orders for posters and advertising posters for various products. At the same time, Alphonse Mucha began to paint original paintings and organize personal exhibitions in Paris.

Love

New moments in life are associated with Paris. Here, at the National Theater, Mucha meets a young Czech woman, Maria Chytilova. A girl who is 20 years younger falls in love with the artist and arranges a meeting with him. Maria becomes a new muse for Alphonse, the second love in life, as he himself noted, after his homeland. In 1906, the master married Maria. Later they have two daughters and a son. At the same time, Mucha moved to the United States at the invitation of the American Society of Illustrators, where he continued to work until 1910. Here he receives several orders for portraits, and also lectures at New York University. But dreams of his homeland do not leave the artist, and soon he returns to the Czech Republic.

Last tribute to the homeland

After returning to Prague, Alphonse Mucha, whose paintings become known throughout the world, begins his most ambitious work. He plans to paint monumental canvases on which he depicts history Slavic peoples. In 1928, the author finished the “Slavic Epic” and gave it to his native Prague. Mucha’s work on the creation of official banknotes and stamps of independent Czechoslovakia dates back to the same period. Throughout his life, Alfons never stops learning and improving his artistic talent.

Forgotten genius

After the 30s, interest in the work of the fly begins to decline, and by the beginning of the 2nd World War he was even included in the list of enemies of the Third Reich. He was imprisoned on suspicion of promoting anti-fascist and nationalist sentiments. After a series of arrests and interrogations in 1939, Alphonse dies of pneumonia, having managed to publish his memoirs in 1939. Mucha was buried in the Czech Republic at the Visegrad cemetery.

Family

Mucha lived a long and fruitful life, leaving behind talented descendants. Maria, the master's student and wife, survived her husband by 20 years. Jiri, the artist’s son, became a famous journalist, and the master’s daughters and grandchildren inherited his creative abilities. So, Mukha’s granddaughter Jarmila, who is still alive, created a project to create decorative items based on his grandfather's sketches.

Creation

Alphonse Mucha, whose paintings became popular not only in his homeland, but also in other countries, was able to achieve stunning success during his life. Having received his education in Brno, and then in Munich and Paris, the author began his creative career with illustrations in fashion magazines. Collaborating with many famous magazines and newspapers, such as " Folk life", "Figaro" and "Parisian Life", the artist developed his own, unique style. There were also serious works at this time, such as “The History of Germany.” A turn in Mucha's fate occurred in 1893, when he received a regular order from the Renaissance Theater for a poster for the play Gismonda. Sarah Bernhardt took part in the performance. The great actress was fascinated by the work. She wanted to meet the author of the poster in person. She also subsequently insisted that Alphonse become the chief decorator of the Renaissance Theater. So Mucha suddenly became one of the most popular artists in Paris. He began to write posters, posters, and postcards. His paintings began to decorate the most fashionable restaurants and ladies' boudoirs. During this period, the artist Mucha Alphonse painted the famous series of paintings “Seasons”, “Stars”, “Months”. Today the master’s works are included in museum collections various countries world, and in Prague there is a museum, completely dedicated to creativity famous fellow countryman.

The most famous series of paintings

Mucha painted several hundred paintings and posters throughout his life. Among the most famous works A significant place is occupied by the famous series “Seasons”, “Flowers”, “Months”, “Precious Stones”, as well as the world-famous “Slavic Epic”. Let's consider the history of the author's writing.

"Slavic epic"

At the end of his life, the artist Mucha Alphonse plans to create a series of works about the history of the Slavic peoples. For the sake of his dream, the master goes to work in America, where he is forced to work hard, creating advertising posters and posters. Mucha collected ideas for future paintings while traveling around Slavic countries, including in Russia. Work on “Epic” lasts 20 years. As a result, Alphonse painted 20 canvases measuring 6 by 8 meters. These paintings, filled with calm, wisdom and spirituality, are considered his best works. The paintings reveal the history of several nations at once. For example, the work “The Battle of Grunwald” tells us about the liberation of Lithuania and Poland, which survived the battle with the crusaders. Let us give a brief summary: Alphonse Mucha included in the plot real historical events that occurred in the 13th century in Europe. The work is filled with sorrow and worry about the fate of the Slavic peoples during difficult periods of bloody wars. In each of his paintings in the “Slavic Epic” series, the artist reflects faith in the bright future of his people. The very same famous work The painting “Apotheosis of Slavic History” is considered from this series. The canvas depicts four eras of development at once Slavic culture and stories: ancient world, the Middle Ages, the period of oppression and a bright future. All the skill and talent of the great artist was realized in the picture. The main goal of Mukha’s work is to help people understand each other and become closer. After completing the main work of his life, Alphonse donated the entire series of paintings to his beloved city of Prague. The work was completed in 1928, but since there was no place in Prague at that time to store and display such large-scale paintings, "The Slavic Epic" was first shown in the Fair Palace, and after the war it was placed in one of the Moravian castles. After the war, the works were put on public display only in 1963. To this day, residents and guests of the city can admire this gift. famous master, whose name is Alphonse Mucha.

"Seasons"

At the end of the 19th century, the artist was actively working on illustrations for the fashionable Parisian magazine Kokoriko. On its pages for the first time appears a series of paintings made in gouache and pencil, called “12 months”. The works, distinguished by their unique style and originality, immediately appealed to readers. The drawings were images of graceful women with luxuriant hair and beautiful figures. All the ladies looked attractive and seductive. A mysterious and graceful woman, drowning in a sea of ​​flowers, has always been depicted in the very center of the work. The paintings were framed in elegant oriental style. In 1986, the author painted the decorative panel “The Seasons,” preserving the images of divine beauties. Now the work is done using gouache and ink, but the style remains the same. The paintings were released in limited editions, but sold out very quickly. The panels were printed on silk or thick paper and hung in living rooms, boudoirs and various restaurants. All the drawings differed in mood and color scheme, which was carefully selected by Alphonse Mucha. Spring, for example, was depicted in pastel light pink colors. Summer - with bright green shades, autumn - rich orange, and winter - transparent-cold. At the same time, all the paintings are filled with charm, tenderness and tranquility.

Advertising posters

The artist painted his first advertising poster in 1882. He quickly realized that this was a very profitable business. True, the then unknown artist did not receive many orders. He painted posters for various theatrical productions. After gaining popularity (thanks to Sarah Bernhardt), he became one of the leading artists in Parisian advertising. The posters reflected the original “Mukha style” (named so later). The paintings were distinguished by their richness of colors and details. His compositions, usually depicting languid, luxurious girls, began to be published in fashion newspapers and magazines. “Women of the Fly” (as they are beginning to be called in Paris) sell thousands of copies in posters, calendars, playing cards, and advertising labels. The artist creates labels for matches, bicycles and champagne. There was simply no end to good orders, and now all of Paris would know who Alphonse Mucha was. The poster (the description of the painting “The Seasons” has already been presented above) is to the taste of the director of one of the famous publishing houses “Champenois”, and the artist enters into a lucrative contract with him. Later, working in America, the master continues to work on a series of advertising posters, earning money for his dream “Slavic Epic”. Until now, these works of the master are replicated all over the world in the form of fashionable art posters.

Alphonse Mucha Museum in Prague

It is the only official museum of the artist. It was opened in 1998 by the descendants of the famous master. The exhibitions presented in the halls tell about the life and work of the skilled painter. Visitors to the Alphonse Mucha Museum are introduced to a series of art posters created by the author at the end of the 19th century. The works reflect the elegance and beauty of female images, so beloved by the artist. Here you can also see the famous poster for theatrical production"Gismonda", which changed the life of a genius. It is from this painting that Mucha’s exclusive “style” begins, distinguishing his work from all his predecessors. Next, guests can enjoy the spirit of the “rebirth” of the Czech state in the form of stamps and banknotes, the designer of which was Alfons himself. A significant place in the museum is dedicated to the famous paintings of the “Slavic Epic”. Visitors will also learn details of the author’s personal life. The museum displays photographs of models and friends of the great artist, as well as sketches for his future works.

Conclusion

Alphonse Mucha gave birth to something new and became a role model for many. famous artists turn of the XIX-XX centuries. “Mukha Style”, expressive, spiritual and understandable to the inexperienced viewer, still remains popular among modern masters and designers. You can feel the soul of the author in it, his piercing love for his homeland and an amazing sense of beauty. The bold sensuality of the author’s paintings delights, fascinates and surprises anyone who discovers this unique and mysterious “Mukha style”. All this makes the works of Alphonse Mucha a significant milestone in the history of world art.