Saturday, July 24, 2010

Alphonse Mucha: Famous Czech painter’s work featured on Google doodle

Alphonse Mucha’s painting was featured today at Google doodle. Alphonse Maria Mucha is a famous Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist. He was born on July 24, 1860 in the town of Ivančice, Moravia.

Alphonse Mucha was quite a talented singer and his singing abilities helped him to continue his education through high school but drawing had been his first love since childhood.

He did various decorative painting jobs in Moravia. At that time, he mostly painted theatrical scenery.

In 1879, Mucha went to Vienna, Austria where he worked for a leading Viennese theatrical design company. He became more skilled and educated in art over there.

In 1881, a fire destroyed his employer’s studio. He then returned to his home town and started out as a freelance decorative and portrait painter.

At that time, he was hired by Count Karl Khuen of Mikulov hired Mucha to decorate Hrušovany Emmahof Castle with murals. Impressed with his work, he decided to sponsor Mucha’s formal training at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.

Aside from painting Mucha also did decorative art, advertisements, illustrations and designs. His work highly influenced the modern art.

Alphonse Mucha was known for his images of women. One of his major works is his poster of Maude Adams as Joan of Arc. It was an advertising poster designed for a play at the Théâtre de la Renaissance on the Boulevard Saint-Martin starring Sarah Bernhardt.

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