Nouveau revival
Through the end of July, Warsaw's National Museum is exhibiting over 200 works by Alfons Mucha (1860-1939), including drawings in charcoal, pastel and ink, oil paintings, photographs and decorative crafts such as jewelry designed by the Czech artist.
The exhibit is ordered chronologically, giving a sense of Mucha's progress from a struggling young man to one of the greatest artists of the turn of the 20th century. "The works in the exhibit represent a series of creative periods in the artist's life, interconnected by his common goal of bringing art into every aspect of life, thereby raising the dignity of all that is touched by it," explains Joanna Tomicka, the exhibition's curator.
In addition to many of Mucha's great works, the exhibit offers a glimpse at many rare or forgotten pieces and photographs on display, most of which he took and developed himself.
Alfons Mucha is best known for his legendary posters, instantly recognizable by both art connoisseurs and laymen all over the world. The decorative style he became famous for was born in Paris, where he studied art and lived the proverbial life of a starving artist.
He made a smashing debut in the city on January 1, 1895 with his giant theater poster featuring stage actress Sarah Bernhardt. Mucha quickly won fame and success, becoming a pioneer of the Art Nouveau movement.
The subdued tones and soft curves he employed created a distinctive aesthetic, characterized by an enigmatic coupling of natural and stylized elements and an aura of melancholy. He worked in an array of media - from postcards, advertising posters, magazine covers, panneaux, murals, currency notes, postage stamps and even jewelry. In 1909, he was commissioned to paint his crowning achievement: "The Slav Epic," a series of 20 six-meter-high paintings chronicling major events in the history of the Slavic nation. The project took Mucha 18 years to complete.
The exhibit at the National Museum has been made possible by the Mucha Foundation, the Mucha Trust and the Amos Anderson Art Museum in Helsinki. The exhibition in Warsaw is part of a Northern European tour that spans Helsinki, Coppenhagen and Stockholm.
