The most recognizable artist of this period was Alfonse Mucha. He was born July 24, 1860, in a small town in the Czech Republic. His early years were spent as a choirboy, but he was forced to abandon singing after his voice started cracking. Instead, Mucha took up drawing lessons. He decided to become a painter, much to his father’s chagrin, who had hoped he’d find a “respectable” career.

Mucha applied to the Prague Academy of Fine Arts in 1878, but he was rejected. He stayed in his hometown to work as a clerk at the local district court, but continued his art studies. Two years later, he left for Vienna to work as an assistant in a company that created theatre sets; he became well acquainted with theatre and interior decoration. Mucha worked for the Viennese company until a fire at the Burg Theatre set the company in financial trouble and he was laid off.

After his theatre scenery job, Mucha took commissions for portraits. A patron who was willing to fund his studies recognized his talent and he was able to study at the Art Academy in Munich. Like every aspiring artist of the day, Mucha then went to Paris, the “mecca” of art, to study at the Academie Julian. After a couple years of monetary support from his patron, Alphonse Mucha was set adrift without any money or prospects for his future. He truly lived like a starving artist, creating illustrations for low-paying magazines and giving art lessons in the Cremerie that he lived above. His big break came in December 1894, when he was commissioned for a poster featuring the actress Sarah Bernhardt in a play called Gismonda. The poster was a sensation and Mucha was practically a success overnight. He received an exclusive contract for the next six years by the actress and not only did he design all her posters, but her costumes and theater decorations as well.

The commissions poured in for a variety of commercial print ads. His highly stylized female images with long, flowing hair and costumes became his trademark. His work was rapidly integrated into everyday life; first with posters, then liqueur bottles, biscuit boxes, chocolate bars, perfume labels and postage stamps by Mucha were available everywhere.

At the turn of the century, Mucha returned to his homeland and was inspired to create what he believed would be his most meaningful work. He named his project The Slav Epic, which would take eighteen years and contained twenty sizable paintings illustrating the history of the Slavs. He took various commissions in the interim and arrived in the United States in 1904 in hopes of raising funds for his magnum opus. An American patron, Charles R. Crane, a wealthy industrialist from Chicago who promised to fund the entire project, aided him.

Mucha worked from Castle Zbiroh in Bohemia, where there was ample space to place large canvases side-by-side. Because he dedicated so much of his time and energy to this project, the once popular artist fell into near obscurity during this period. The first eleven paintings were presented in Prague. They received an icy reception in Europe, as the First World War raged on and public taste was changing. The Slav Epic was accepted more enthusiastically when they were shown in New York in 1921. The completed works were presented to the city of Prague in 1928 as a gift. They were never nearly as successful as Mucha’s commercial work.

Although Mucha was past his prime creative years and made no other revolutionary innovations, he continued to paint until the very end of his life. His work was still admired; it just was no longer “new” – which equaled death in the eyes of the critics.

In 1939 the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia and Mucha’s popularity and patriotism made him a number one target for the Gestapo. He was arrested, interrogated and released. Already in poor health, Alphonse Mucha died on July 14, 1939 in Prague. There is a museum in Prague dedicated to him containing lithographs, paintings, drawings, pastels, statues, photographs and personal memorabilia that will take you into the world of the great artist.