Alphonse Mucha

Alphonse Mucha was born in 1860 in Ivancice, Moravia, in present-day Czech Republic, and became a defining figure of the French Art Nouveau movement at the turn of the century. He began his career at nineteen, painting theatrical scenery in Vienna while taking evening art courses. After a fire closed the theatre district in 1881, he returned to Moravia, where Count Karl Khuen-Belasi hired him to paint castle murals and was so impressed that he sponsored Mucha’s formal education at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.
Mucha moved to Paris in 1887 to study at Academie Julian and Academie Colarossi, supporting himself through magazine and advertisement design. His breakthrough came when he created a poster for the play “Gismonda” featuring actress Sarah Bernhardt. The poster proved so popular that collectors stole them at night, leading Bernhardt to sign a six-year contract with Mucha for posters, theatre sets, and costumes.
His success expanded beyond theatre posters to decorative panels like his famous “The Seasons” series, as well as jewelry design for Georges Fouquet at the 1900 Paris Exhibition. A passionate advocate for Slav culture, Mucha created the monumental “Slav Epic” and designed stamps and currency for newly established Czechoslovakia. When Germany invaded in 1939, he was questioned by the Gestapo for his nationalistic ties. Though released, he fell ill and passed away, leaving a legacy still celebrated today. Mucha is represented by Park West Gallery.