The Arts: Dance (1898)

Alfons Maria Mucha (24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), often known in English and French as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist, known best for his distinct style. He produced many paintings, illustrations, advertisements, postcards, and designs.

Produced at the height of Mucha's fame in 1898, this series was printed on vellum in an edition of 1000 copies, with an additional 50 limited edition copies printed on satin. Mucha discarded traditional attributes such as musical instruments, paintbrushes and quills. Instead he emphasised the creative inspiration of natural beauty by giving each of the arts a circular backdrop featuring a motif from nature indicating a particular time of day: for Dance falling leaves blown by a morning breeze; for Painting a red flower encircled by rainbows in fresh daylight; for Poetry the evening star shining in the sky at dusk; for Music the song of birds at moonrise.

The Mucha Foundation is an independent, non-profit charity devoted to preserving and conserving the Mucha Trust Collection and promoting the work of Alphonse Mucha.

www.muchafoundation.org

W: 7.5" x H: 12"