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Alphonse Mucha: 1860-1939: the Artist As Visionary
All about the Belle Epoque: Delicate illustration that defined an era
With his instantly recognizable decorative style, Czech artist and Art Nouveau master Alphonse Mucha (1860 1939) defined the look of the fin-de-siecle. In evocative shades of peach, gold, ochre and olive, his seductive compositions of patterns, flowers, and beautiful women became paradigms of the Belle Epoque years. Mucha's work permeated illustration, posters, postcards, and advertising designs of his day. His striking posters of star actress Sarah Bernhardt were particularly famous. Alongside this delicate decorative work, Mucha also harbored committed humanist ideals and nationalist beliefs. With monumental works such as The Slav Epic, he expressed his staunch support for Pan-Slavism, promoting the political independence of the Czech and Slavic nations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.This book presents key works from Mucha's distinctive oeuvre to introduce an artist who, with few rivals, distilled the spirit of an age.
About the Series: Each book in TASCHEN s Basic Art series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions "
With his instantly recognizable decorative style, Czech artist and Art Nouveau master Alphonse Mucha (1860 1939) defined the look of the fin-de-siecle. In evocative shades of peach, gold, ochre and olive, his seductive compositions of patterns, flowers, and beautiful women became paradigms of the Belle Epoque years. Mucha's work permeated illustration, posters, postcards, and advertising designs of his day. His striking posters of star actress Sarah Bernhardt were particularly famous. Alongside this delicate decorative work, Mucha also harbored committed humanist ideals and nationalist beliefs. With monumental works such as The Slav Epic, he expressed his staunch support for Pan-Slavism, promoting the political independence of the Czech and Slavic nations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.This book presents key works from Mucha's distinctive oeuvre to introduce an artist who, with few rivals, distilled the spirit of an age.
About the Series: Each book in TASCHEN s Basic Art series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions "
95 pages, Hardcover
First published December 20, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 5, 2020
I've always felt fascinated by Mucha's detailed work but my knowledge of it was very limited too. Looking to finally change this, I bought this book and i'm not disappointed at all.
The artworks compiled on it are absolutely gorgeous and knowing the ideas and events that inspired them just makes me appreciate them even more.
The artworks compiled on it are absolutely gorgeous and knowing the ideas and events that inspired them just makes me appreciate them even more.
July 8, 2020
Çok çok çok güzel bir kitaptı. Gerçekten.
Alphonse Mucha’nın hayatını ve eserlerini konu alıyor. Taschen’nin basic art serisine ait. Okurken “Vay be Mucha sen neymişsin” diyip durduğum bir eserdi. Çok güzel anlatılmış (bu serideki Monet kitabındaki kadar güzel anlatılmasa da) ve insanı sıkmıyor. Keşke tabloları biraz daha inceleseymiş yazar, tek geliştirilmesi gereken nokta buydu benim için.
Alphonse Mucha’nın hayatını ve eserlerini konu alıyor. Taschen’nin basic art serisine ait. Okurken “Vay be Mucha sen neymişsin” diyip durduğum bir eserdi. Çok güzel anlatılmış (bu serideki Monet kitabındaki kadar güzel anlatılmasa da) ve insanı sıkmıyor. Keşke tabloları biraz daha inceleseymiş yazar, tek geliştirilmesi gereken nokta buydu benim için.
September 17, 2023
Çok enteresan detaylara girmiş bir ressam bir grafik tasarım uzmanı. Tüm eserlerine daha detaylı yer verilse belki çok daha güzel olabilirdi. Ama serinin amacı zaten daha basic bir seviyeden ilerlemek o yüzden sorun yok.
February 13, 2021
This is an excellent starting book for someone who is interested to learn more about Alphonse Mucha. It is of medium format (16x22cm) and less than 100 pages long, yet it has all the basic necessary information - brief introduction to Mucha and his art and samples of most of his creative outcome -
ad posters, decorative panels, paintings, photos, and even some of the Slav Epic images. In each category the author selected most representative examples. Most (but not all) are shown in full-page size and color representation is the most accurate among several Mucha books that I read. Yet, it is still a small book and it features only a small part of Mucha's art. If you are serious about Mucha from the start, you might want to get a more substantial book.
ad posters, decorative panels, paintings, photos, and even some of the Slav Epic images. In each category the author selected most representative examples. Most (but not all) are shown in full-page size and color representation is the most accurate among several Mucha books that I read. Yet, it is still a small book and it features only a small part of Mucha's art. If you are serious about Mucha from the start, you might want to get a more substantial book.
August 22, 2017
La collana dei Taschen dedicata ai singoli artisti non delude mai, riesce perfettamente nel suo intento di dare un quadro generale piuttosto completo dell'opera dell'autore trattato pur senza scendere in dettagli troppo tecnici e senza perdersi in lunghi discorsi zeppi di minuti dettagli biografici. Ad esempio, nel caso di Mucha, ho molto apprezzato come Tomoko Sato abbia saputo tratteggiare non solo il maestro dell'Art Nouveau, ma anche il patriota, senza trascurare il forte valore simbolico e spirituale dato all'arte. Questa collana dunque centra pienamente il suo obiettivo, ovvero essere un punto di riferimento della letteratura divulgativa per il grande pubblico, magari non troppo esperto di arte, che vuole approfondire determinate personalità di questo mondo, con la formula vincente di saper dare poche informazioni ma indispensabili, "quelle giuste", per conquistare la labile attenzione di un lettore magari non abituato a fruire di testi specialistici, e poi lasciare la parola alle immagini, scelte sapientemente e impaginate con altrettanta cura, che rendono questi economici volumetti delle piccole opere d'arte.
December 9, 2023
I'm still reading the text in the book as I did not buy it for the purpose of actually reading. I wanted at least some physical form of example of Mucha's beautiful works as art prints and copies, even in a simple poster format are expensive and hard to get where I live. I definitely am not regretting my decision to spend money on this book. As an artist myself I find it a gem for reference and inspiration.
- update: quite interesting. I don't tend to like reading biographical texts but this one was pretty enjoyable!
- update: quite interesting. I don't tend to like reading biographical texts but this one was pretty enjoyable!
August 19, 2020
If you smoked heavily and put a mind-altering substance on your tongue and the next day, after attending a concert . . . right?, you find, to your horror, your acid missing and your girlfriend running off with your smelly best pal, and as you're leaving your incense-choked tent, you pad your backpack with the remaining weed and posters from the concert - if this ever happened, you likely arrived home with promotional concert posters that looked a hell of a lot like those Mucha prints your Parisian parents line their walls with, reminding them of the good ol days when dancing was dancing and the exotic drug was the sight of a flapper girl's dancing legs.
A lazy, long-winded way of saying Mucha's art has, strangely, survived from their initial showings to modern day. I remember my visits to Portland - over a decade before the chaos began - and a good number of the promotional posters I lifted from lampposts were drawn up in a Mucha style.
But is the artwork worthwhile? A decent portion of it, and the few here that are not still retain something appealing about them, be it the esoteric winks or the reasons for their creation.
And I repeat myself: this is a low-priced Taschen collection that is worth owning and of high quality.
A lazy, long-winded way of saying Mucha's art has, strangely, survived from their initial showings to modern day. I remember my visits to Portland - over a decade before the chaos began - and a good number of the promotional posters I lifted from lampposts were drawn up in a Mucha style.
But is the artwork worthwhile? A decent portion of it, and the few here that are not still retain something appealing about them, be it the esoteric winks or the reasons for their creation.
And I repeat myself: this is a low-priced Taschen collection that is worth owning and of high quality.
May 25, 2022
I was already a huge fan of Art Nouveau and Mucha's work, but this book allowed me to rediscover his greatness intertwined with his life experience and who he was as an artist and as a man. Now I'm 10x more obsessed with everything Mucha!
June 18, 2017
Beauty
October 21, 2019
“¿Qué es el arte nuevo...? El arte nunca puede ser nuevo” Uno lee estas palabras de Mucha y se da cuenta todo lo que falta por aprender de los gigantes del pasado
May 25, 2020
Very nice biography of the painter/artist Alfons Mucha with many pictures.
It was a quick read and look through.
It gives a quick overview, but left me a bit hungry for more of the artist's work.
It was a quick read and look through.
It gives a quick overview, but left me a bit hungry for more of the artist's work.
July 14, 2021
A truly great book including artwork by an amazing artist who continues to constantly inspire me.
January 10, 2022
A good introduction to Mucha and his work!
January 21, 2022
Es un libro corto para leer en una tarde. La narración es bastante amena y además está acompañado de unas preciosas ilustraciones y fotografias. Es una manera ideal para conocer a este maravilloso pintor🥰.
February 26, 2017
ISBN 978-3-8365-4066-7, auteur Tomboko Sata, conservator van de Mucha Stichting.
De schrijfster Tomoko Sato heeft behalve het oeuvre ook de persoon Mucha heel goed neergezet.
Het boek leest makkelijk en geeft door de vele illustraties een goede indruk van de werken van Alphonse Mucha.
Ondanks dat het boek niet veel pagina's tekst heeft, is er voldoende ruimte gemaakt om de ontwikkeling van Mucha gedurende zijn levensjaren goed neer te zetten. Je krijgt als lezer een kijkje achter de schermen wat betreft de gedachten van Mucha en de wijze waarop hij zijn ideeën en visie verwerkt heeft in zijn kunstwerken.
Voor de liefhebbers van Mucha is dit boek van de uitgever Taschen een "Must Have". Geniet van de afbeeldingen van zijn (meester)werken en laat je verrassen door de minder bekende stukken die hij heeft gemaakt.
De schrijfster Tomoko Sato heeft behalve het oeuvre ook de persoon Mucha heel goed neergezet.
Het boek leest makkelijk en geeft door de vele illustraties een goede indruk van de werken van Alphonse Mucha.
Ondanks dat het boek niet veel pagina's tekst heeft, is er voldoende ruimte gemaakt om de ontwikkeling van Mucha gedurende zijn levensjaren goed neer te zetten. Je krijgt als lezer een kijkje achter de schermen wat betreft de gedachten van Mucha en de wijze waarop hij zijn ideeën en visie verwerkt heeft in zijn kunstwerken.
Voor de liefhebbers van Mucha is dit boek van de uitgever Taschen een "Must Have". Geniet van de afbeeldingen van zijn (meester)werken en laat je verrassen door de minder bekende stukken die hij heeft gemaakt.
May 19, 2016
Alphonse Mucha is, to me, one of the greats of Art Nouveau. His posters have been widely reproduced (especially the one for Job rolling papers!) and his sets of lithographs, like the ones of the seasons and the flower ones, show up a lot. They are all beautiful; both the beautiful women with their hair in curling tendrils, usually with large flowers decorating it, and the backgrounds and frames with all their stars and patterns and jewels and flowers…they have always enchanted me. His work was hugely popular in his time; it was used not just as posters but in magazine illustration and on postcards.
What I was not really aware of was his ‘serious’ work, inspired by his Slavic heritage. Most of this is much darker in both spirit and palette. He honored Slavic history and hoped mightily for Slavic independence and unity. Sadly, he was to die just days after Nazi’s marched into the area and he was arrested and questioned as a Czech patriot.
This book is brief, but gives a good overview of Mucha’s life and work, and is filled with beautiful reproductions of all phases of his work.
What I was not really aware of was his ‘serious’ work, inspired by his Slavic heritage. Most of this is much darker in both spirit and palette. He honored Slavic history and hoped mightily for Slavic independence and unity. Sadly, he was to die just days after Nazi’s marched into the area and he was arrested and questioned as a Czech patriot.
This book is brief, but gives a good overview of Mucha’s life and work, and is filled with beautiful reproductions of all phases of his work.
March 3, 2019
C'est probablement pas le livre le plus complet sur Mucha mais dedans il y a des illustrations belles à se taper la tête contre les murs!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews