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Alphonse Mucha

Czech, 1860-1930

Alphonse Mucha is acclaimed for his distinctly stylized and decorative Art Nouveau illustrated posters and prints — particularly those depicting beautiful French actress and famous artists’ muse Sarah Bernhardt. His work remains widely loved by everyone from bohemian students to serious collectors. 

Mucha and his contemporaries treated femininity as the antidote to the impersonal, masculine world of the industrial revolution — it was to be celebrated and embraced. He fervently believed that art is a crucial, enjoyable benefit to humankind, and it should be accessible to as many people as possible.

Mucha showed an early talent for drawing. Rejected when he applied to the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in 1878, he traveled to Vienna — two years later at the age of 19 — and found work painting theater backdrops. After a tragic fire that destroyed the theater that employed him, he returned home and began painting portraits. Count Eduard Khuen Belasi hired Mucha to paint a series of murals for his residence. 

In 1885, the Count sent Mucha to the Munich Academy of Fine Arts — paying his tuition and living expenses. Mucha moved to Paris in 1888 to continue his studies, where he shared a studio with Paul Gauguin. There, he became enamored with the nude female form and allegorical studies. He enjoyed some financial success with magazine illustration work, which led to lucrative book illustration commissions. One of Mucha’s illustrations for the book Scenes and Episodes of German History received a medal of honor at the 1894 Paris Salon of Artists.

In 1894, Mucha began a six-year contract for the acclaimed stage actress Sarah Bernhardt, creating posters for her shows and tours. His first poster was an immediate sensation and cemented his fame in the Art Nouveau poster artist community.

Mucha designed some of the most famous posters of the era — a time when these works were key to the fabric of the cosmopolitan thoroughfare in the French capital. He created advertisements for JOB cigarette papers, Ruinart champagne, Lefèvre-Utile biscuits and Moët-Chandon champagne. Although Mucha is renowned for his posters, he spent the latter half of his life on decorative panel works and Czech nationalist artworks — many of them in the collection at the Mucha Museum in Prague.

Find original Alphonse Mucha nude prints, figurative prints, wall decorations and other art on 1stDibs.

original Obligation et Action au Porteur illustrated by Alphonse Mucha
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in PARIS, FR
The original "Obligation et Action au Porteur" illustrated by Alphonse Mucha represents a captivating blend of finance and artistry, showcasing Mucha's distinctive style and contribu...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Alphonse Mucha

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Original "HEARST'S INTERNATIONAL MARCH 1922" antique cover
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in Spokane, WA
Original March 1922 HEARST'S INTERNATIONAL, March 1922 cover created by the notable artist, Alphonse Mucha. Professional acid-free archival linen backed, presented in a 16" x 20" p...
Category

1920s Art Nouveau Alphonse Mucha

Materials

Offset

Morning Awakening
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in PARIS, FR
"Morning Awakening" from the series "The Times of the Day" Original lithograph Signed "Mucha" and dated "99" for 1899, at the lower part of the plate. There is no hand-written signa...
Category

1890s Art Nouveau Alphonse Mucha

Materials

Paper

Morning Awakening
Morning Awakening
H 47.64 in W 22.05 in D 0.99 in
Night's Rest
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in PARIS, FR
"Night's Rest" from the series "The Times of the Day" Original lithograph Signed "Mucha" and dated "99" for 1899, at the lower part of the plate. There is no hand-written signature ...
Category

1890s Alphonse Mucha

Materials

Paper

Night's Rest
Night's Rest
H 47.64 in W 22.05 in D 0.99 in
Alphonse Mucha's 1902 Documents décoratifs - Planche 40
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in PARIS, FR
Alphonse Mucha's name shines like that of a visionary artist who left an indelible mark on the aesthetics of the early 20th century. The year 1902 saw the publication of "Documents d...
Category

Early 1900s Art Nouveau Alphonse Mucha

Materials

Lithograph, Paper

Alphonse Mucha's 1902 Documents décoratifs - Planche 30
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in PARIS, FR
Alphonse Mucha's name shines like that of a visionary artist who left an indelible mark on the aesthetics of the early 20th century. The year 1902 saw the publication of "Documents d...
Category

Early 1900s Art Nouveau Alphonse Mucha

Materials

Lithograph, Paper

1898 poster Mucha Gismondo - Les Maîtres de l'affiche Pl.27
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in PARIS, FR
Alphonse Mucha's "Gismonda" poster, featured as Plate 27 in "Les Maîtres de l'Affiche," stands as a testament to the harmonious convergence of visual arts and theatrical brilliance. ...
Category

1890s Art Nouveau Alphonse Mucha

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Alphonse Mucha's 1902 Documents décoratifs - Planche 45
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in PARIS, FR
Alphonse Mucha's name shines like that of a visionary artist who left an indelible mark on the aesthetics of the early 20th century. The year 1902 saw the publication of "Documents d...
Category

Early 1900s Art Nouveau Alphonse Mucha

Materials

Lithograph, Paper

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Artists Similar to Alphonse Mucha

Alphonse Mucha art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Alphonse Mucha art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of orange and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Alphonse Mucha in lithograph, paper, ink and more. Not every interior allows for large Alphonse Mucha art, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Jules Chéret, and Edward Penfield. Alphonse Mucha art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $647 and tops out at $45,000, while the average work can sell for $6,345.

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