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| One of Mucha's famed posters. |
Looking through Mucha's works, I realized why my cousin admired him. His pieces were completely captivating, unlike anything I had ever seen before. The artist's trademark style has an ethereal quality to it; the subjects appear enchantingly regal, like quietly omnipotent goddesses; the paintings are highly impressionistic but still precisely detailed. Mucha's unique Belle Epoque style is unmistakable, even among other art nouveau.
Mucha, like my cousin, had always been an artist, even before he could walk. Still, he struggled to make ends meet at first. Finally, at age 34, Mucha was by chance tasked with creating a poster for the upcoming performance of famous Parisian performer Sarah Bernhardt. He used a narrow poster and pastels to create the advertisement, and Bernhardt loved the distinctly modern-yet-sophisticated style so much she had him create posters for all her performances. People were so obsessed with the posters they would cut them down off their posts for themselves.
Eventually Mucha tired of commercial work and wanted to create something meaningful. He turned to pieces dealing with spiritualism, showing how people could achieve the three virtues—Beauty, Truth, and Love—and reach divinity. He considered Le Pater his favorite work. Later, while journeying through the Balkins researching a commission, Mucha decided on his life's work: the Slav Epic. He became invested in the Pan-Slavic movement and wanted to contribute to it. It took him years to find a funder and 15 years of focused work, but he completed 20 huge canvases celebrating the history of the Slavs.
My cousin Adam's work is visibly inspired by Mucha. He incorporates a similar ethereal-but-realistic quality in his art. Deeper than that, though, he creates what inspires him. Some of his pieces are flowery and bright and depict hope; others are dark and brooding and channel his anxiety and anger about topics like the 2016 shooting in the Pulse nightclub. Whatever Adam composes, he layers into it his own vision—which seems to me the most Mucha-esque element of all. I still text him whenever I see something reminiscent of our favorite artist.
Image: F. Champenois
For more information on Mucha and his art: Mucha Foundation
I find it interesting, and a little sad, that most of our favorite artists were not always successful at first. Of course, this makes sense, as with recognition comes greater opportunity to spread one's work. However, it's funny that until that opportunity comes along they are oftentimes disregarded, and it's not until a certain critic, celebrity, or patron comes along that the artist really has a chance to step into the light. How many would-be famous artists have we lost simply because they were not duly recognized and given the proper opportunity?
ReplyDeleteI think it's important that artist are doing their art for their own personal purposes first and then money later. It's inspiring when an artist continues his work even though they see no money at the moment. It show's their dedication to art.
DeleteI think what makes art so powerful is the expression of the artist's feelings and ideas. As you said, your cousin creates what inspires him. The art created at the end of WWI expressed what many felt which was often mixed emotions that were undefinable. Music from the impressionistic era frequently sounds melancholic to me as if the artists are missing something from the past but don't want it back; yet they're uncertain of what the future holds.
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