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 in the history of art, introducing his own unique style, still bearing the name "Fly style". What is the mystery and tragedy of the fate of a famous artist? This is our article.
Biography
Alphonse Mucha was born in 1860 in the town of Ivančice (Moravia). His father was a judicial officer, and his mother was the daughter of a wealthy miller. From childhood, the boy showed his creative inclinations, carried away by 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 the exams, so he had to look for a job. The father arranges his son as a clerk in court, and in his spare time, Alphonse Mucha moonlights in the theater. He tries himself as an actor, and then a poster decorator. It was a time of creative wanderings and searches of oneself. For some time he worked as a stage designer for the theater, and then he was invited to paint the walls of the castle of Count Cuen-Belassi. The count, delighted with the talent of the artist, agrees to pay for his studies at the Munich Academy of Arts.
Confession
After training, Alphonse Mucha moves to Paris. However, by this time, his patron was dying, and the artist was left without a livelihood. To do what you love, you need expensive paints, brushes and paper. To feed herself, the future celebrity is forced to earn a living by making posters, posters, invitations and calendars. But fate favors genius. One such poster radically changes the life of Alfons. Sarah Bernhardt, a famous actress for whose presentation Mucha wrote an order, recommends him as the main decorator of the Renaissance Theater. The artist instantly becomes famous. From orders for posters, as well as advertising posters for various goods, there was no end. At the same time, Alphonse Mucha begins to write original paintings, organizes solo exhibitions in Paris.
Love
New moments in life are connected with Paris. Here at the National Theater, Mucha meets a young Czech woman, Maria Khitilova. A girl who is 20 years younger falls in love with the artist and arranges a meeting with him herself. Maria becomes a new muse for Alphonse, the second love in life, as he himself noted, after his homeland. In 1906, the master marries Mary. 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 the dreams of the motherland do not leave the artist, and soon he returns to the Czech Republic.
Last tribute to the motherland
After returning to Prague, Alphonse Mucha, whose paintings are known throughout the world, proceeds to his most ambitious work. He plans to write monumental canvases on which depicts the history of Slavic peoples. In 1928, the author finishes the Slavic Epic and gives it to his native Prague. The same period belongs to the work of the Fly on the creation of official banknotes and stamps of independent Czechoslovakia. All his life, Alphonse does not stop learning and improving his artistic talent.
Forgotten Genius
After the 30s, interest in the work of the flies began to decline, and by the beginning of the 2nd World War he was even put on 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, Alfons dies of pneumonia, having managed to publish his memoirs in 1939. Fly was buried in the Czech Republic at the Vysehrad cemetery.
A family
The fly lived a long and fruitful life, leaving behind talented descendants. Maria, the student and wife of the master, survived her husband for 20 years. Jiri, the son of the artist, became a famous journalist, and the daughters and grandchildren of the master inherited creative abilities. So, the granddaughter of Mukha Yarmil, who is still alive, created a project to create decorative products based on the sketches of her grandfather.
Creation
Alphonse Mucha, whose paintings became popular not only at home, but also in other countries, was able to achieve stunning success in his life. Having been educated in Brno, and then in Munich and Paris, the author began his career with illustrations in fashion magazines. Collaborating with many well-known magazines and newspapers, such as People’s Life, Figaro and Paris Life, the artist developed his own unique style. There were serious works at that time, such as The History of Germany. The turn in the fate of the Flies took place in 1893, when he received the usual order from the Renaissance Theater for the poster of the Gismond play. The performance was attended by Sarah Bernhardt. The great actress was fascinated by the work. She wanted to meet the poster author personally. She also subsequently insisted that Alfons become the main decorator of the Renaissance Theater. So Fly suddenly became one of the most popular artists in Paris. He began to write posters, posters, postcards. His paintings began to adorn the most fashionable restaurants and ladies' boudoirs. During this period, the artist Mucha Alphonse wrote the famous series of paintings "The 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 dedicated entirely to the work of the famous countryman.
The most famous series of paintings
A fly throughout his life painted several hundred paintings and posters. Among the most famous works, a significant place is occupied by the famous series “The Seasons”, “Flowers”, “Months”, “Gemstones”, as well as the world-famous “Slavic Epic”. Consider the history of writing the most famous paintings of the author.
"Slavic epic"
At the end of his life, the artist Mukha Alfons plans to create a series of works on the history of Slavic peoples. For the sake of his dream, the master goes to work in America, where he is forced to work a lot, creating advertising posters and posters. Mukha collected ideas for future paintings while traveling through Slavic countries, including Russia. Work on the "Epic" lasts 20 years. As a result, Alphonse wrote 20 paintings measuring 6 by 8 meters. These paintings, filled with calm, wisdom and spirituality, are considered his best works. The canvases reveal the history of several peoples at once. For example, the work “Battle of Grunwald” tells us about the liberation of Lithuania and Poland, who survived the battle with the crusaders. Here is a brief description of the picture. 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 in difficult periods of bloody wars. In each of his paintings of the Slavic Epic series, the artist reflects faith in the bright future of his people. The painting “Apotheosis of Slavic History” is considered the most famous work from this series. The painting depicts four epochs of the development of Slavic culture and history at once: the ancient world, the Middle Ages, the period of oppression and a bright future. The painting realized all the skill and talent of the great artist. The main goal of Mukha’s creativity is to help people understand each other and become closer. After completing the main work of his whole life, Alphonse presented the whole series of paintings to his beloved city of Prague. The work was completed in 1928, but since then in Prague there was no place to store and display such large-scale paintings, the Slavic Epic was first shown at the Palace of Fairs, 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 visitors of the city can admire this gift of the famous master, whose name is Alphonse Mucha.
"Seasons"
At the end of the 19th century, the artist was actively working on illustrations for the Parisian fashion magazine Kokoriko. For the first time a series of paintings by gouache and pencil, called “12 months”, appears on its pages. The works, distinguished by a peculiar style and originality, immediately pleased readers. The drawings were images of elegant women with magnificent hair and beautiful figures. All the ladies looked attractive and seductive. A mysterious and graceful woman drowning in a sea of flowers was always depicted in the very center of the work. The paintings were framed by elegant floral ornaments, made in oriental style. In 1986, the author writes a decorative panel, “The Seasons,” preserving the images of divine beauties. Now the work is done with gouache and mascara, but the style remains the same. The pictures came out 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 their mood and colors, which were carefully selected by Alphonse Mucha. Spring, for example, was depicted in pastel light pink colors. Summer - using bright green shades, autumn - saturated orange, and winter - transparent cold. Moreover, all the paintings are filled with charm, tenderness and tranquility.
Advertising posters
The artist wrote his first advertising poster in 1882. He quickly realized that this was a very profitable business. True, not so many orders were received by the unknown artist. He drew posters for various theatrical productions. After the arrival of popularity (thanks to Sarah Bernhardt), he became one of the leading artists of Parisian advertising. The posters reflected the original “Fly style” (named later). The paintings were rich in colors and details. His compositions, usually depicting languid luxurious girls, began to be printed in the form of posters in fashionable newspapers and magazines. "Women of the Flies" (as they are starting to call them in Paris) diverge in thousand 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 will find out who Alphonse Mucha is. The poster (the description of the painting "The Seasons" has already been presented above) is to the liking of the director of one of the well-known publishers of Champenois, and the artist signs a profitable contract with him. Later, while working in America, the master continues to work on a series of advertising posters, earning “Slavic Epic” for his dream. Until now, these works of the master are circulated around the world in the form of fashionable art posters.
Alfonso Mucha Museum in Prague
It is the only official museum of the artist. It was discovered in 1998 by the descendants of a famous master. The expositions presented in the halls tell about the life and work of the skilled painter. Visitors to the Alphonse Mucha Museum get acquainted with 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 see the famous poster for the theatrical production of "Gismond", which changed the life of a genius. It is with this picture that the exclusive “Fly style” begins, distinguishing his work from all his predecessors. Then guests can enjoy the spirit of the “revival” of the Czech state in the form of stamps and banknotes, designed by Alphonse himself. A significant place in the museum is dedicated to the famous canvases of the Slavic Epic. Visitors will learn the details of the personal life of the author. The museum presents photographs of models and friends of the great artist, as well as sketches for his future works.
Conclusion
Alphonse Mucha gave rise to a new style in art, becoming a role model for many famous artists of the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. “The Style of the Fly”, expressive, spiritualized and understandable to an inexperienced viewer, is still popular among contemporary masters and designers. The author’s soul, his piercing love for the homeland and the amazing sense of beauty are felt in him. The bold sensuality of the author’s paintings delights, fascinates and surprises anyone who discovers this unique and mysterious “Mucha style”. All this makes the creations of Alphonse Mucha a significant milestone in the history of world art.