About the Artist
Alphonse Mucha
Alphonse Mucha (1860 – 1939) was a Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist, known best for his distinct style as a defining pioneer of the Art Nouveau movement. He produced many paintings, illustrations, advertisements, postcards and designs. Although it enjoys great popularity today, at the time when he died, Mucha's style was considered outdated. His son, author Jiri Mucha, devoted much of his life to writing about him and bringing attention to his artwork. In his own country, the new authorities were not interested in Mucha. The Slav Epic was rolled and stored for twenty-five years before being shown in Moravsky Krumlov, and a Mucha museum opened in Prague, managed by his grandson John Mucha. Mucha's work has continued to experience periodic revivals of interest for illustrators and artists. Interest in Mucha's distinctive style experienced a strong revival during the 1960s, with a general interest in Art Nouveau.
