Che Hinds Mr.

Hatcher – Illustrator Research

Alphonse Mucha

The illustrator who I wish to emulate is Alphonse Mucha, a Czech artist. Alphonse Mucha was
born on 24th July 1860 in Ivancice, Czech Republic. Regarding his accomplishments, it is said
that Mucha was able to occupy and connect both the ‘high art’ arena and the commercialist art
scene. He painted many commissions for his wealthy clientele but he was also contracted to
design and paint packaging for everyday products such as biscuits. His most famous pieces of
work were in the collection called the Slav Epic, a collection of huge canvases with scenes
depicting the history of his country and culture.

Mucha lived and worked in Paris for nearly 20 years, from 1887 to 1906, sponsored by the
wealthy Count Khuen-Belassi to study the arts at some of the best art schools in Paris.

As time went on, his financial support diminished and he endured a period of hardship, barely
surviving on his work. It was only when he was hired to do a rushed commission for the famous
actress Sarah Bernhardt, that he able to taste success. She loved his work and entered in to a six
year contract with the artist.

Often times, Alphonse Mucha is not associated with other famed artists of the period, like Paul
Cezanne or Edgar Degas, because the art establishment saw his work as mere commercial
illustration. Additionally, Mucha was also not trying to gain the validation of the establishment
but was instead intent on using his graphic skills to create decorative designs in his own personal
style. In fact, the work of Mucha along with other graphic illustrators such as Henri Toulouse-
Lautrec and Jules Cheret became historically important documents of graphic design in that era.

Besides his pursuit of the arts, Mucha enjoyed church and music. He also believed in fate and
claimed that he had three ‘life-changing events’. The first event happened in a church in Moravia
(now Czech Republic), where he saw the work of Johann Umlauf, a local artist. When Mucha
saw his work he decided then and there that he would pursue the arts as a profession. The second
event was his meeting with Count Khuen-Belassi, who came to sponsor Mucha to study in Paris.
Che Hinds Mr. Hatcher – Illustrator Research

Finally, the third great event was doing a poster for Sarah Bernhardt. The work made him
instantly famous and put him at the centre of Parisian graphic illustration.

His astounding popularity meant that he was subjected to a non-stop demand for posters,
decorative panels, magazine covers and jewelry design and sculpture. This was all done in what
was termed ‘Le Style Mucha’. He had also produced a handbook documenting all of his design
motifs in what was called ‘Documents decoratifs’, published in 1902 as a result of the endless
demand for his design work. After his stint in graphic illustration from 1893 to 1903, Mucha
sought to pursue more contemporary art. In 1906 he moved to America in hopes that he would
pivot in the direction of a more traditional painter. He wanted to do portraits for wealthy upper
class people but, the public and his fans did not want this, they wanted him to do more of his
decorative illustration work.

From his graphic illustration work, he became the hot topic amongst avant-garde artist and
writers. Behind it all, Mucha was still engaged to his Slavic background. In 1909, when his son
Jaroslava was born, he earnestly wanted to return to his homeland in the now Czech Republic
and raise his family there.

‘Le Style Mucha’ influenced many designers at the time but Alphonse Mucha himself stayed true
to his individual artistic style and creativity and did not veer into any particular artistic
movements (such as Surrealism or Romanticism). You could say he was fiercely independent
because at the height of his popularity in Paris he moved to Chicago, America to teach at the
Chicago Institute of Art and it was there he received the sponsorship to paint his portrayal of his
Slavic homeland in what would be called ‘Slav Epic’. This collection of twenty large paintings
would take him many years to complete and its subject matter focused on Slavic mythology and
history. For a long time it could not find a place in the capital city but instead was hosted at a
distant castle in Moravsky Krumlov, amongst his Moravian countrymen. It now resides in the
National Gallery in Prague .The Slav Epic remains his most notable work but his huge catalogue
of posters, advertisements and decorative designs show how hard working and creative he was in
his graphic work.

Early in his artistic career he learnt how to handle gouache and tempera. Gouache actually
became his favourite medium for illustration.
Che Hinds Mr. Hatcher – Illustrator Research