Modernist artist Alphonse Mucha: biography and creativity, description of masterpieces. Alphonse Mucha: short biography and works What flowers are drawn in the painting Mucha poster

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 still for a long time will appear in his work.

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 alone 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 latter’s name 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. Adds comments to 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 in 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 on 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.

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 at 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 his 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 the history of the 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 Creative skills. 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, he began his creative path author of 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 personally. She also subsequently insisted that Alphonse become the chief decorator of the Renaissance Theater. So Mucha unexpectedly 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 the collections of museums around the world, and in Prague there is a museum entirely 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's give short Alphonse Mucha included real things in the plot historical events which 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 “The Apotheosis of Slavic History” is considered from this series. The canvas depicts four eras of development at once Slavic culture and history: the 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 of the famous master, whose name is Alphonse Mucha.

"Seasons"

IN late XIX century, the artist is 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, 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 elegance and beauty 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 famous paintings"Slavic epic". Visitors will also find out the details personal life author. 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, becoming a role model for many famous artists at the turn of the 19th and 20th 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.

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 philanthropist young artist.
He paid for Alphonse to study for two years 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.
For a long time he got by with small orders, until Sarah Bernhardt appeared in his life -
brilliant French actress.
Perhaps Mucha 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 the prima, who played the main role in the play, on a poster of an unusual shape -
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 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 itself 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 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. She enjoyed incredible success, and soon the inhabitants of Vienna,
Prague and London got the opportunity to see all this too.

Alphonse Mucha was a singer of 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
the beginning of the 1880s, and only the First World War brought life back to prose
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 drawing, Mucha covered the faces of the models 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 the female images of the “Four Seasons” series.
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 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.
Especially strong impression The Trinity-Sergius Lavra affected 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 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 Moravsky 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”.

Alphonse Maria Mucha(1860-1939) - Czech graphic artist, painter, virtuoso of decorative and applied arts. His name is associated with the emergence of a new style in art, which originated at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. IN European art This style was called Art Nouveau or Art Nouveau.

A distinctive feature of works in the Art Nouveau style was the rejection of straight lines in favor of natural curves. Alphonse Mucha was a recognized master of new, sophisticated forms. His multifaceted talent influenced many European architects, artists, and graphic artists.

Biography of Alphonse Mucha

On July 24, 1860, not far from Brno, in the old small Moravian town of Ivančice, Alfons Maria Mucha was born. The boy began to get involved in singing and painting early.

After graduating from high school, his father sent him to work in art school in Prague with a request for enrollment. But in response, the professors said that the author of the works did not have enough talent.

After such a failure, the young man had to work as a clerk in a local court. But this did not stop Alphonse from coming up with scenery, drawing posters and tickets for the local theater. In many ways, this period of his life determined the nature of his future work.

Two years later, in 1789, following an advertisement in a Viennese newspaper, Alphonse Mucha got a job in the workshop " Kautsky-Briosci-Burkhart", which was engaged in the manufacture of various theatrical accessories.

In 1881, the workshop was completely destroyed in a fire, and the artist was forced to leave for the small Czech town of Mikulov. Here he had to start decorating the ancestral castle of the local count Kuen-Belasi.

Alphonse's work made a great impression on the count, who offered help to the young artist and became his patron of the arts. In 1885 Alfons entered the third year of the Academy of Arts in Munich. After studying for two years, the artist decided to complete his art education in Paris.

Alphonse Mucha was accepted into one of the most famous art schools France – Julien Academy, and then in Academy Colarossi. However, in 1889 he was deprived of the financial assistance of Count Kuena-Belassi and worked as a simple designer and newspaper illustrator.

In 1894, the artist received an order from the theater " Renaissance" A poster was required for the premiere of the play “Gismonda” with a brilliant Sarah Bernard. By choosing an elongated horizontal format for his work, adding color and small details, the artist changed the previously existing principle of drawing up posters.

Work for Sarah Bernhardt unknown artist made a tremendous impression. The great actress wanted to meet him. As a result of cooperation, the following works were created: “ Lady with camellias», « Medea», « Samaritan woman», « Yearning», « Hamlet»

During this period of creativity, the artist develops his own characteristic, recognizable style.

The semantic center of the horizontally elongated panel is the image mysterious stranger with a captivating smile on her lips framed by an intricate ornament made up of fragments of fantastic flowers and plants, symbolic images, and exquisite interweaving of arabesques.

On the wave of success, in 1897, in the Parisian gallery " La Bodiniere“The first exhibition of the artist’s works was successfully held. On next year V Salon des Cent(Salon Sta) a second, larger one opened. Then a number of exhibitions took place throughout Europe.

In 1898, Alphonse began his brilliant collaboration with Georges Fouquet, the son of an enterprising Parisian jeweler. The result of collaboration was an extraordinary collection of jewelry. Impressed by the success, the jeweler ordered Mucha to decorate the facade of his house and design the interior for a new store.

Except artistic creativity, Alphonse Mucha was engaged in teaching and analytical activities. In 1901, his book “Decorative Documentation” was published, which became a practical guide for many artists.

It contained samples of all kinds of ornaments, sketches of furniture, household items, and sketches of jewelry. Most of the submitted drawings were later embodied in finished products.

In 1900, the World Exhibition was held in Paris, for which Mucha designed the pavilion of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was at this time that the artist developed an interest in the history of the Slavic peoples, which only intensified while traveling through his native places. The desire to create a cycle of patriotic paintings in the neoclassical style grows stronger in him.

By the beginning of the 20th century, Alphonse Mucha had gained a reputation as a master, whose opinion was listened to with respect by the artistic community not only in Europe, but also in America, which he first visited in 1904. The name of Alphonse Mucha was well known in America.

April 3, 1904 newspaper " New York Daily News"published one of his works - " Friendship"and an article dedicated to the artist’s work. In 1906 Alphonse Mucha collaborated with " German Theater» in New York: he came up with the scenery and curtain design, created decorative panels and costume sketches. He spent four years in the USA, successfully combining painting and teaching.

Returning to the Czech Republic in 1910, the artist began working on realizing his long-time dream - creating a series of paintings “ Slavic epic" This work took almost 18 years.

In 1913, Alphonse Mucha traveled to Russia, visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg. His visit to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra evoked special feelings. The impressions received during the trip were reflected in the “Russian” paintings of this cycle.

In 1918, the new Republic of Czechoslovakia was formed, and its government turned to Alphonse Mucha with a request to develop the design of new state stamps, postage stamps, the state emblem and forms of government documents. This period of his work is marked by the creation of a sketch of the famous stained glass window in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle.

The final painting from the “Slavic Epic” series was painted in 1928, and the artist donated 20 works that poeticized the history of the Slavic peoples to the Czech people. These works aroused less interest among the audience than his early works in the Art Nouveau style, although for Alphonse Mucha himself, working on this grandiose plan was the main meaning of his creative life.

In 1939, after the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the artist was arrested by the Nazis. Alfons Mucha died in prison on July 14, 1939 and was buried in the Visegrad cemetery in Prague. In 1998, a museum was opened in the capital of the Czech Republic in honor of the famous Czech artist.

Creativity and works of Alphonse Mucha

The paintings of Alphonse Mucha, with the exception of the epic paintings “Slavic Epic”, are few in number and practically unknown to the general public. This is mainly chamber genre and portrait painting:

• « Woman in red", 1902
• « Madonna of the Lilies", 1920
• « Winter night", 1920
• « Portrait of Yaroslava", 1930
• « Woman with a burning candle", 1933

Cycle of works “Slavic Epic”

Alphonse Mucha worked on the painting cycle “Slavic Epic” from 1910 to 1928. 20 grandiose canvases were donated to Prague. The artist considered working on this cycle the main work of his life. Some paintings from the cycle:

Lithographs, posters and posters

Alphonse Mucha masterfully used the wide possibilities of lithography technology (printing from the surface of a stone treated with a special chemical composition) in his works. With its help, he achieved a unique play of textures that enhances artistic expressiveness works known today throughout the world. The lithography technique allows for replication, while each print retains its artistic originality. Thanks to this, the artist quickly became known throughout the world. In many houses one could see images of his beautiful women.

• Posters for performances of the Renaissance Theater, 1894-1900
• » 1897
• ", series 1896
• ", series 1898
• ", series 1900
• ", 1911

Jewelry

When creating posters for performances in which Sarah Bernhardt shone, Alphonse Mucha depicted unusual jewelry on them. In search of new forms, he studied history and folklore.

These unprecedented jewelry attracted the attention of Georges Fouquet, a Parisian jeweler. As a result of the happy cooperation of the two talented artists Absolutely innovative works of jewelry were born.

The most famous work jewelry art, created according to Mucha’s sketch in 1899 – “ Rose hands", gold bracelet in the shape of a snake, decorated with scattering precious stones. For the first time, a sketch of this bracelet appeared on the poster for the play “ Medea»

It is noteworthy that although Alphonse Mucha is rightfully considered a recognized master of Art Nouveau, the artist himself did not admit his affinity for this art. He was categorically against being remembered only for his magnificent decorative works.

Working on the “Slavic Epic,” he hoped to convey to people’s consciousness his spiritual component, patriotism, and concern for the future of his people. However, in the history of art, Alphonse Mucha forever remained a master of perfect forms.

Alphonse Mucha Museum in Prague

In 1998 in the historical center of Prague, in a magnificent Baroque Kaunicki Palace, built in 1720, a museum was opened dedicated to the work of the world famous and beloved Czech artist Alphonse Mucha.

The museum's collection includes more than 100 works. Paintings, drawings, pastels, lithographs, photographs, personal items. Particular attention is paid to the works of the most famous, Parisian period of the artist’s work. The museum has a souvenir shop.

Cost of visiting the museum:

• 180 crowns - adults
• 120 CZK – children, students and elderly people over 65 years of age
• 490 CZK – family ticket (2 adults, 2 children)

Museum address: Prague 1, Panská 7. Location on the map of Prague:

Telephone: +420 221-451-333

Official website of the museum: www.mucha.cz

Work schedule: daily from 10:00 to 18:00

Alphonse Mucha made a truly invaluable contribution to the development of the culture of his homeland and the Czech Republic is grateful for all his creations.

The work of the Polish artist of the first half of the twentieth century, unfortunately, is little known in our time. Although the originality and originality of his talent found many fans all over the world. No one will remain indifferent while admiring the series of paintings “Flowers”, “Seasons”, “Slavic Virgins”, “Months”, in which the artist glorifies feminine beauty, the beauty of nature and acts as a connoisseur folk traditions and rituals.

Biography of Alphonse Mucha

Alfons was born in Moravia in the small provincial town of Ivančice in 1860. It was the end of the 19th century that left its mark on all of his work; even in the middle of the 20th century, he did not lose his poetry and dreaminess, trying in a stormy, turbulent time to reflect the soul of the people in his works.

His father Ondzhej, a tailor by profession, a poor man, remained a widower with several children and entered into a second marriage (most likely for convenience) with the daughter of a wealthy miller Amalia, who later became the mother of a famous artist.

Amalia died early, but Ondjei was the best of fathers for his large family and all his children, even girls, which was surprising at that time, received secondary education.

Alfons studied at the Slavic Gymnasium in the small Polish city of Brno until he was 17, and then his father managed to get the young man into the Academy of Arts in Prague. So Alphonse became a student, but it must be said that he was far from the best of students. He shamelessly skipped classes, including the Law of God, which was considered unacceptable, and received excellent marks only in drawing and singing.

The student was soon expelled from the Academy due to “any lack of talent for art” and became a clerk in the city court of Ivanichitsa. Two years later, having accidentally stumbled upon an advertisement for a vacancy for a decorator in a Viennese company that produces theatrical props, he gets a job there as a set designer. But in 1881 the company went bankrupt, and Alphonse was again left out of business.

Thanks to his father’s efforts, he moves to the southern city of Mikulov, where he does whatever he has to: draws a little theater scenery, works in miniatures, portraits, posters and sometimes, for lack of other work, paints.

And then the artist was lucky: he was asked to paint the castle of Count Kuen of Grushovanov, where he painted the ceilings in the then accepted style of the Italian Renaissance. After this, he was sent to the count's brother at Gandegg Castle in distant Tyrol. Here he not only painted the rooms, but also painted a portrait of the countess and the entire family. In his free time, which was rare, the artist managed to get out into nature, where he avidly drew from life.

The Viennese painting professor Kray comes to visit the count; he becomes interested in the works of the young artist and convinces him to continue his education. The satisfied count acts as a patron of Alphonse and sends him at his own expense to the Academy of Art of the city of Munich. So, in 1885 the artist continued his professional education. Two years later he transferred to the Academy of Arts in Paris, and immediately into the third year.

This best time in his studies, but it soon ends: the count stopped paying the scholarship, and the young man had to rely only on his own strength. In some memoirs, Alphonse Mucha hints at periods of hardship and adversity, but already in 1991 he established strong connections with the publisher Armand Collin, and also writes posters for performances with the participation of Sarah Bernhardt. The great actress liked the works of the young artist so much that she entered into a six-year contract with him for all new works.

Thus, Alphonse enters a period of prosperity and fame: exhibitions of his works are held with great excitement in many major European cities, and changeable Fortune finally knocked on the artist’s door.

Slavic Epic

Nowadays, it is believed that the works of this cycle are the artist’s most valuable investment in the treasury of world art. Much later, in the “Parisian period,” Alphonse Mucha revived and multiplied his successful discoveries and gave us new creations.

Love for the Motherland, its nature, its history and its traditions is an integral part of the work of a true artist. Therefore, already as a mature creator, Alphonse Mucha plans to create a series of paintings dedicated to the history of the Slavs. This idea was not born at one moment; he nurtured it for a long time, traveling through Slavic countries, including Russia. Work on the epic, which brought the artist worldwide fame, lasted 20 years, and twenty huge canvases were painted depicting the culminating moments of history.

All the artist’s works are extremely optimistic - they carry a huge charge of faith in their country and its people. He donated the entire collection of paintings to his beloved city of Prague. In 1963, after the death of the artist, the public gained access to the entire collection of paintings and to this day admire the amazing gift of a true patriot, Alphonse Mucha.

Love in the life of an artist

It is in Paris that Mucha meets his love, his muse - the Czech girl Maria Chytilova. In 1906, they got married, although Maria is twenty years younger than Alphonse, but she sincerely loves him and admires his work.

For Alphonse, this young girl became, as he himself said, his second love after his Motherland. Together with her, he moves to live in America, with which he signed lucrative contracts for a series of works. The artist’s children were born here, but dreams of a distant homeland never left him, and in 1910 Alphonse’s family returned to Moravia.

The last period of creativity

In 1928, after finishing work on the Slavic Epic, Mucha worked on creating the official banknotes of independent Czechoslovakia and a collection of stamps. All his life, the artist never tired of learning new things, searching for himself and striving for self-expression; all his endeavors were “doomed to success”, thanks to his original talent and tireless work.

With the coming to power of the fascists and the propaganda of racist theories, interest in Mucha's work declines. He is declared a pan-Slavist, his patriotism runs counter to the propaganda of racism, and paintings glorifying beauty native nature, do not fit into the propaganda of violence and cruelty.

The artist was declared an enemy of the Third Reich and imprisoned. Although he was soon released, his health was undermined, and in 1939 Alphonse Mucha died. Before his death, the artist managed to publish his memoirs, and according to his will, he was buried in the Czech Republic at the Visegrad cemetery.

Unfairly forgotten

The only Alphonse Mucha Museum is open in Prague. On the initiative of his children and grandchildren, it was opened in 1998. It is here that you can see the poster for the play “Gismonda” that changed the master’s life. The museum houses exhibits that accompany the artist’s life and illuminate his work.

Many of the objects exhibited here were donated to the museum by the artist’s family, from which you can learn about his personal life and character, habits and family relationships.