MUCHA

With his instantly recognisable decorative style, Czech artist and Art Nouveau master Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) used evocative shades of gold, ochre, peach and olive for his seductive compositions of patterns, flowers and beautiful women which became paradigms of the Belle Epoque years. His work permeated illustration, posters, postcards and the advertising designs of the day and his striking posters of the actress Sarah Bernhardt were particularly famous. With his monumental cycle The Slav Epic he expressed his staunch support for Pan-Slavism, promoting the political independence of the Czech and Slavic nations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Also included are such glorious book illustrations from the History of Spain depicting the Conquest of Granada in 1492 as Boabdil hands over the keys. There are The Carnation and The Rose from The Flowers series, Emerald and Amethyst from The Gemstones series, March from The Month series, and posters for French perfume and chocolate, Nestlé, Perfecta Bicycles, breweries, menu cards for Moët & Chandon Champagne and plays like Salome and Gismonda, among the hundreds of artworks reproduced. With CV, museums marked on map, text in English, French and German, 216 colourful pages.