Job (Cigarettes) by Alphonse Mucha, courtesy pbs.org
What: Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau
When: Through Jan. 23, 2021
Where: The Reading Public Museum, 500 Museum Rd., Reading
https://www.readingpublicmuseum.org
Details: This exhibition includes 70 artworks from Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939), ranging from vintage lithographs and original drawings to advertising ephemera. These works and objects are on loan from the Dhawan Collection, Los Angeles, CA. Alphonse Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau is organized by Landeau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA.
Alphonse Mucha was known as a decorative artist from southern Moravia, now the Czech Republic. The question is, what is meant by “decorative art?” Historically, fine arts are primarily considered to be painting and sculpture. Mucha’s work was rooted there, yet blossomed into realms of murals, stage sets, magazine covers, advertisements and jewelry. There are two ways the definition of decorative arts apply to understanding his work. First, it is in categorizing the work in the world, which was seen as having commercial appeal. The second way is in the actual style of the work itself. He literally redefined the design of the poster, implementing exaggerated lines, elegant female forms and highly ornate borders. Forms seem almost as if they are floating in mid-air. In fact, his contribution to Art Nouveau (meaning new art) was so extensive, his name became synonymous with it: Le Style Mucha.
His interest in art dates back to his childhood where the decor in the Catholic church greatly inspired him. His creative drive led him first to Vienna where he painted scenery for stage sets, and then in 1887 to Paris, where he studied at Academie Julian, while illustrating posters and advertisements. The publisher Lemercier hired him to illustrate the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt in Gizmonda, which launched the hallmark of his style. The delicacy of his colors and organic accentuated lines were loved by Bernhardt and all of Paris, sparking a massive boom in his fame. He went on to design posters, costumes, scenery, mirrors, home decor and jewelry for her and for others. His fluid approach resulted in elevating everyday objects. A line can be drawn from where the work originated, being reflected in the floral forms of nature, and the advent of industrialization, which allowed for the poster movement to give a platform to the artwork. His work has a theatricality to it which parallels nature, and how we inhabit it.
It is easy to see that Mucha’s striking iconic designs where inspired by and helped to implement instrumental change which paved the way for much of the advertising that we have experienced since then. When viewing the exhibition think about Milton Glaser’s posters from the 1960s (Bob Dylan comes to mind) and even the HBO series Madmen. In our rapidly evolving times, what connections do you find? This beautiful collection certainly gives you ample treasures to consider these questions and form your own conclusions.
Beth Krumholz is a Berks County native, currently residing in Bethlehem. She is an educator, artist, and poet. She has worked in the field of alternative art education for more than 20 years, from NYC to San Francisco. In her spare time, she enjoys Indian cooking, Appalachian waterfalls, table-top herb gardening, and hanging out with her wonderful son and their mischievous cats. Photo: Jenny Schulder-Brant
