Alphonse Mucha

Nowavailableinanewedition,thisgorgeousvolumesurveystheentirebreadthofAlphonseMucha'swork--fromillustrationanddecorativeartstohisphotographyandthehistoricalpaintingsthatwerehislife'spassion.AlphonseMuchaisknownlargelyforhavingoriginatedArtNouveau,whenhisposteroftheactressSarahBernhardtbecamealegendaryiconofthemovement.Muchawentontodesignhundredsofpiecesinthedecorativeartsfield,butlaterdistancedhimselffromthestylehepioneered,devotinghistimeandenergytopainting.ThisbookpresentsthefullarrayofMucha'sartisticcontributions--notonlyhispostersandjewelrydesignsbutalsohisdesignforthepavilionofBosniaandHerzegovinaatthe1900world'sfair.Thebookalsocontainshisworksoncanvas,whichincludepastelsandfrescoes,andhismagnumopus,TheSlavicEpic,aseriesof20paintingsdepictingthehistoryofhisnativepeople.Astunningselectionofnearly500colorillustrationsisaccompaniedwithessaysthatexploreMucha'sstyleandinspirations,histransitionawayfromthedecorativearts,andhisforaysintophotography.FansofArtNouveauwilltreasurethisdazzlinganduniquestudyoftheartistandhiscontributionstodesignandillustration.