poster for 8th Sokol Festival

Alphonse Mucha, artist

1860–1939

poster for 8th Sokol Festival, 1925

Where object was made: Czechoslovakia (present-day Czech Republic or Slovakia)

Material/technique: color lithograph; gold; linen

Dimensions:
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 1219 x 826 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 48 x 32 1/2 in
Frame Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 62 x 41 3/4 x 2 in
Weight (Weight): 32 lbs

Credit line: Museum purchase

Accession number: 1969.0057

Not on display

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The graphic works of Alphonse Mucha epitomize what we today think of as art nouveau; indeed, the artist literally wrote the book on the subject. His Documents Décoratifs became the definitive art nouveau text used by art schools for a generation. Mucha used feminine and floral subjects, elaborate ornamentation, and whiplash lines with a mastery that elevated his work beyond its commercial purpose.
Mucha’s career was much advanced by his association with Sarah Bernhardt, the most famous actress of the time. During the Christmas rush, when no other designer could produce a poster for her, Bernhardt was forced to hire the then little-known Mucha. She was delighted with the results. Mucha’s work appealed to her decadent nature, and the artist became her favorite designer. For Bernhardt, Mucha produced not only posters, but designs for jewelry, stage sets, and costumes.