Presents the career and life of Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist, Alfons Mucha (1860-1939). Known best for his distinct style, he produced many paintings, illustrations, advertisements, postcards, and designs. His graceful women, delicate colors, and decorative style add up to an unashamed act of temptation, is indissolubly linked with the Art Nouveau style, and was one of the most fascinating artistic personalities of the turn of the 20th century.

Seventy large-size illustrations trace Mucha's skills as a draftsman over more than 40 years. Among the more famous examples are original plans and drawings for "The Seasons," and sketches for the Sarah Bernhardt poster.

The Ivan Lendl Collection is currently the most complete collections of Alfons Mucha ́s posters in the world. It also includes many other examples of Mucha ́s art. This monograph comprises newly-produced high-quality colour prints of all the exhibits in the Lendl collection, as well as more than 100 preliminary drawings, sketches, and prints, which allow the reader to take a peek into Mucha ́s ́art kitchen. ́ 25 photographs documenting Mucha ́s Parisian period may also prove to be of particular interest to art lovers. Its wide range and considerable documentary value make this a truly unique publication offering deeper knowledge of all important periods of Alfons Mucha ́s work.

Though very much an individual and spiritual artist, Alphonse Mucha was a defining figure of the Art Nouveau era and is loved for his distinctive lush style and images of beautiful women in arabesque poses among the plethora of paintings, posters, advertisements and designs he produced. Admire a whole range of his work here in its full glory with succinct accompanying text.

Comprised of 40 full-page, two-color plates of finished drawings in several media, this new volume reproduces Mucha's extraordinary 1905 style book, Figures Décoratives, a summation of Art Nouveau art and design. New introduction.

Alphonse Mucha was an extraordinarily prolific and versatile artist who made his mark in the diverse fields of design - including posters, jewellery, interior decoration, theatre, packaging and product designs - as well as in painting, book illustration, sculpture and photography. He is one of the best-known Czech artists to wide international audiences today and rose to international fame in fin-de- siècle Paris with his elegant designs for theatre posters for Sarah Bernhardt, the most famous French actress of the time, and decorative panels ( panneaux décoratifs ) featuring gracefully posed women. For those posters Mucha created a distinctive style - "le style Mucha" - characterised by harmonious compositions, sinuous forms, organic lines and a muted palette, which became synonymous with the newly emerging decorative style of the time - Art Nouveau. By the time of the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900, Mucha had become a leading figure in this decorative art movement, who defined the look of the era. The catalogue explores the development of Mucha's career and overall achievements as a multifaceted and visionary artist. It is divided into six sections, highlighting Mucha's personality as Bohemian; picture maker for people; cosmopolitan; mystic; patriot and philosopher.

Czech artist and Art Nouveau master Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) defined the look of the fin-de-siecle. In shades of peach, gold, ochre and olive, his compositions of patterns, flowers and women became a mainstay of illustration, posters, postcards, and advertising designs of the day. Mucha also harbored committed nationalist beliefs. With works such as The Slav Epic, he expressed his support for Pan-Slavism, promoting the political independence of the Czech and Slavic nations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire

An art catalogue for the traveling museum exhibition ALPHONSE MUCHA: MASTER OF ART NOUVEAU