Its blows my mind that so much talent could reside in a mortal being. And that he could produce so many detailed and exquisite pieces like breathing. Mucha wasn't visited by the Muse, the Muse lived within him like a incandescent sun. Bet the art school that refused him enrollment slapped itself with the hardest face palm ever after he made his mark.
@@glenchapman3899 I have to agree! In American art the same may be said of Norman Rockwell, who genuinely defined an age in the life of the American people.
"Permanently embedded", indeed - it is his graphic illustrations which are the most iconic in my mind. Thank you for showing us some of his beautiful interiors, paintings and murals!
@@petebeard I've long been a fan of Mucha, but your video revealed to me that I've only seen a small part of his entire catalog. Your excellent video inspires me to find even more. Like most people, I never knew anything about Mucha beyond his commercial posters.
@@ArtCurator2020 Hello and I'm very pleased to have introduced you to the more hidden aspects of his work. Similarly I thought I knew him but it was really the tip of the iceberg.
Peter this is a homerun! (That's an americanism for job well done, covering all the bases, etc.) Your production values are marvelous, and the inclusion of furniture and merchandise was informative. His work was the epitimony of the art noveaux movement, and permanantley embedded may be an understatement. Thanks again.
Hi Albert and thanks a lot. I did allow myself to tgink this one would be popular, but it seems to be going off like a rocket. Even I can't be glum about that...
I first saw his work as a young child and he has been my ideal artist for most of my life. His work has really been an inspiration to generations of artists.
I owe my illustrative path to this artist. He hangs in my home to quietly nudge me into better work. Thank you Peter for this amazing series. When I lose my confidence and want to give up, I watch a video of yours . Happy New Year to you and your family .
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of the video. It's particularly rewarding when viewers appreciate the videos don't make themselves. Thanks again.
I've been waiting for you to cover Mucha, he holds great importance to my aesthetic inspiration as a digital illustrator and as a Slavic person. At the time I wrote my graduation essay, the information I could find about him was very scarce and I'm still disheartened that he is not included in our official art history books. Thank you for making this video, may Mucha's legacy live on!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I have admired his graohic work since the late 60s but I only found out about the painting and the Slav Epic a few years ago. Without doubt one of the greatest illustrators ever.
As a young man in the Sixties, I thought I was well-informed just knowing his name. Thanks for this presentation. It is just a dream in these times, but a trip to Prague to see his 17-year life work is on my list.
Hello and me too. I did visit years back and although I got to visit the Mucha museum, the other museum where the epic was housed was closed for renovation. This virus had better go away soon because I have to go again.
@@petebeard Oh Dear! When in 1996 I drove through France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, France & then England, Cornwall, Wales & Scotland, I can't say how many intended sights were "closed for renovation", but it was a lot. Or else they were unphotographable for the scaffolding. I don't regret any of it though!
Thanks for the great commentary on one of my favorite artists! I'm a former retired NYC fashion illustrator and floral designer and had my own art business selling illustrations and postcards and now painter. Some of my work has been inspired and influenced by Mucha! And I named my male orange and white Tabby cat , "Mucha"! I love his beautiful women and his sensual lines and in many circles Mucha is considered "the father of graphic design and illustration"! Also, love the Art Nouveau movement as well as Art Deco of the 1920s and 30s! May he rest in peace~♥♥
Thanks a lot for your appreciation, and comments about the wonders of Mucha's illustrations and art. Like others both Nouveau and Deco were largely instrumental in getting me interested in a career in graphics and illustration when in my teens. And I admire it just as much so many years later.
While his art skills were masterful, it's his graphic works that really sets him apart. His style is so unique, and I'm happy to see it still inspires many creators today.
When I was maybe three years old, I got a story book with art, nouveau illustrations, and fell in love with it. It’s the only book that I’ve kept from my childhood into adulthood because it is so beautiful.
I am 88 yo, Mexican-American , born in a copper mining town during the Great Depression of the 1930s. My parents divorced when I was 7, and my cross eyed sister, and autistic brother bounced around among loving, but poor, relatives. My dad raised us, and at times we had step mothers with her own kids. Poverty I know well and being motherless during my formative years too. When I was 10 WW2 was raging and I stepped into tiny public library to get out of the cold rain. The kind librarian made me feel welcomed and introduced me to books among which adventure and fairy tale books with pictures became favorites .... This event changed my life forever... The stories and art in the books took me away to brain comforts I did not realize I needed to survive in healthy ways. I became an insatiable bookworm . The pictures in many of the books "sank" me into hours of relief from my objective realities. This video took me back to my troubled childhood and causes me to assert that great 🎨 art (and graphics) played a role in saving me from dangers around me. Mr. Beard: Thanks for the wonderful videos .... I have to end it here because my memories are welling up and I can't continue.
Hello and many thanks for your emotionally charged reflections on the past and the part some illustrations and books have played in them. I was born a few years after the war ended and many of the illustrators and the work I show in my videos featured in the books I read growing up. You are absolutely right that for some of us at least they offer an alternative reality it's nice to visit. Thanks a lot for sharing this insight.
I became aware of Mucha's art when I was in primary school. The school had a book in their library that contained his work. I loved every thing he did. It never gets old or out of date with me. He was an amazingly talented man.
Thank you so much for this in-depth video into his expanded works, many of which I'd never seen before. As you pointed out, it is a shame that he is primarily remembered for his graphical/commercial works only, but clearly Mucha had such a wide body of work beyond that.
Thank you for making this. I fell in love with his illustrations when I saw them in a book as a child and I think he influenced my decision to become a graphic designer (now retired). This video shows me more of his body of work than I have ever seen and I was not surprised that his vision was easily adapted to other places in our everyday world that benefited from the beauty of his designs. Thank you again.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciative comment about the video. And of course Mucha comes from a time when visual creatives didn't limit themselves, and his work is every bit as much design as it is illustration or art.
Mucha was an artistic genius, 'par excellence'! He stands with the other artistic 'giants' throughout human history from ancient to our contemporary times. His was a spiritually 'sublime' talent. Great video!
Awesome. Thank you for sharing. This is my first exposure to the artist and his work. I am totally impressed with his talent, drive, creative genius, and artwork.
I went to a Mucha show that passed through our local museum here in Reno Nevada, and among all his crisp meticulous art neuvo works was one piece he did in a much more loose and messy impressionist style, a scene built out of choppy little brush strokes of all different wild colors. It was amazing- a very cheerful and colorful landscape painting which you could tell was by him but was totally unlike the rest of the show. Not exactly fauvist, the colors he used weren't deliberately jarring (there was a sweetness about them that seemed very consistent with his more famous stuff) but they weren't "realistic" either. I asked the docent about it and they didn't know the story behind it, but it showed he was a master of more than just one style. I wish he would've done more such pieces, there was an appealing freedom and abandon about it that was so uncharacteristic for him; but he probably figured there wasn't any money in stuff like this + just did it for his own amusement
As always, Mr. Beard, a thoughtful and beautifully paced presentation, brimming with details. This presentation, however, stunned me. The output of Mucha's work is breathtaking, and I was struck by some of the furnishings and interiors he designed, which you so generously offered us. Were any of his paintings/non-commissioned work confiscated/destroyed by the Nazis, I wonder, or did it manage to survive? (Perhaps it wasn't considered "degenerate" art.) Anyway, thank you, Mr. Beard. Happy Holidays.
Hello and thanks a lot for the appreciative comment. Don't quote me because I don't know for sure, but I believe the Slav Epic was already in storage by the time the Nazis came marching in. And as for anything else they might have encountered I doubt they would have seen pretty girls and flowers as much of a threat. Maybe some of his more nationalistic paintings were trashed but I've never read so.
@@petebeard Полотна "Славянской эпопеи" были спрятаны в 1939 году работниками галереи в нескольких местах: намотанные на валы, они разместились в двух монастырях, Анежки и Страговском, а также в Земских архивах. Были заново открыты семьёй Мухи лишь через 25 лет.
@@user-oy-u-luzi Many Thanks. Google translation of the post: The canvases of the "Slav Epic" were hidden in 1939 by the gallery workers in several places: wound on shafts, they were housed in two monasteries, Anezhka and Strahov, as well as in the Zemsky archives. They were rediscovered by the Mucha family only 25 years later.
I have been a devotee of poster art for most of my life. I even own a coveted work of Cheret, which I display proudly. I am so glad to see this wonderful encapsulation of the career of a fantastically talented and prolific artist who always manages to convey great beauty and emotion in all his works. A heartfelt thanks for this study.
Your commentary completely refreshed a rather overworked subject and there were things that I had not previously encountered in connection with Mucha. This is brilliant Pete. I'm gobsmacked!
Hello and thanks. As I said in the intro I hadn't planned to cover such low hanging fruit, but in the end I'm glad I did. I certainly learned a fair bit of previously unknown stuff. Le Pater was a real revelation - if only it had been in colour...
I love, love Alphonse's work, and well remember all the posters available in the 1960s. I even have one, of The Moon (although bought only recently), and have long admired his work. I had no idea about his other art, though, and am really grateful for your fab video bringing it to our attention. Thanks, Pete, it's brilliant! :)
Hello and your favourable comment is music to my ears. It seems many of us are admirers of his work, which is hardly surprising. I'm just glad I've shown work many viewers hadn't seen before.
A lovely holiday gift. Thanks Pete. My grandfather came from Bohemian to the US as a young boy and I’ve always dreamt of visiting the old country, Prague, especially. Now I have even more incentive to do so. Wow those are massive paintings and to think they weren’t stolen by the Nazis! Although it seems they did take what was left of Mucha’s poor health. What a life he lead. I’m sure I’ll watch this video several times. Cheers and Happy New Year 🎊🎆
Hello and my usual thanks for your comment. I believe the Slav Epic had already been put into storage before the Nazis marched in. Whether that was just good luck or deliberate I don't know. And tere are many worse ways to spend your time than visiting Prague. I've been a couple of times and it's very beautiful and very friendly. And of course then there's mucha's work on display. I hope the coming year is better for us than the last one.
I simply adore Mucha. What a fantastic artist he was ! I have decorated my bedroom with New Ages Art. Of course, because of my shortage of money I couldn’t buy the originals, and I only have copies, but the beauty is still there and I am so happy to have these beautiful objects and drawings around me. Every day, especially in these difficult times in Europe, I find happiness and confort, just to admire all these beautiful pieces of art, and this, thanks to Lalique and Mucha who were (among others) such great and gifted artists of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Thank you very much to Pe Beard for showing us so many Mucha’s chefs d’oeuvre that I didn’t even know before !!!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I wouldn't worry too much about only having Mucha prints. Apart from his actual paintings all the posters were printed by traditional likography so technically there are no originals. That's what I call art for the people.
TEAR ? For some odd reason, I have "teared" at genius in the arts, athletics, design, from early childhood to the point that colleagues and friends have sent or referred me to things with "tear?" attached. Some of Mucha does, lately Dimash Kudaibergen's vocal work to a great extent. Once in a generation talent.
Hello and altough it's not something I go in for myself - stiff upper lip and all that - it's a perfectly human reponse to being in the presence of great art. After all it's supposed to stir the emotions.
Incredible! Thank you so much for giving Mucha the prominence he deserves. I had NO IDEA he was so prolific and had done such monumental works in his later years.
I'd only been aware of Mucha by the reproductions of his posters, I had no idea he had done such intricate illustrations and monumental paintings! Off Topic: if by chance you're not aware (and I wouldn't be surprised if you already know) pre-orders for a new 300+ page compilation of Franklin Booth begins at the end of January 2022 by Flesk Publications which should be fantastic!!
Shameless Plug. Yes, I heard about this new Flesk book from Bud Plant recently. and from ther website it looks fabulous. Don't forget my American Weekly covers of Edmund Dulac is half price this week on Smashwords.
Hello and thanks for the comment. And I wasn't aware of the book, although I have to confess these days I rarely buy them uless the subject is particularly close to my heart. Since making the videos the screen has become my library to a large extent.
@@petebeard A criticism well taken. However, more and more Ebooks are published about art and illustration which you can simply download and have in your digital collection. I'm planning several more from the American Weekly collection, including artwork from Will Pogany and Henry Clive.
I was so lucky that I visited a Mucha exhibition held at National Art Center, Tokyo 4 years ago. It was the first time that all 20 works in The Slav Epic series had been displayed outside of the Czech Republic. I was totally overwhelmed by the solemn beauty and the massive scale of them (as is mentioned in this video, each of them is as large as 6 meters x 8 meters.) I, as a Japanese woman with one of her grandparents having the roots in Europe, I felt his passion and sorrow through those paintings. (Mucha was a Pan-Slavist in the era of bigoted nationalism.)
Hello and many thanks for your comment and insight about Mucha and his work. I have been to Prague a couple of times and have been both times to the Mucha museum. But both times the Slav Epic was closed for one reason or another, so that is still something I have to see before I die.
P.S. I shouldn’t have mentioned “nationalism” with the adjective “bigoted”. The relation between nationalism and “pan-slavism” is a very sensitive topic. I sincerely apologize if someone felt offended by reading my first comment.
@@rukathehamsteratwork8896 Панславизм как идея объединения, сочетания близких культур ради их синергии, и национализм, как защита чешской самоидентификации, далеки от национализма в том смысле, который теперь приписывается этому слову. Там нет ненависти к другим культурам и нет подавления других культур. Есть лишь гордость за свою самобытность и сложную историю народа. Так что фанатичность у Мухи не окрашивается негативом по отношению к другим: он любил людей.
Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma had a show of his work about twenty years ago, probably a collection that was touring the U. S. It included everything from posters to large paintings to small sketches. I had known and liked his work for years, but seeing reproductions is nothing like seeing the actual originals. They are awesome. He was immensely talented and a real master of technique. I doodle a bit, have sold a few things but have no real training. I remember standing in front of one of his sketches just thinking, "I'm not worthy..." 😆 Then I went and plunked down way too much money for the catalogue. No regrets on that. Thank you for this review of his life and work. It is lovely.
Hello and ir has to be admitted that they broke the mould when they created Mucha. His paintings really do fill the viewer with awe, similar to the Renaissance greats. Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
I love his art! Thank you so much for talking about him. I didn't know about the way he had passed. His works were really a watershed for the art world, they were and still are amazing.
@@petebeard I saw Mucha’s grave in Prague when I was in The Czech Republic back in the late 1990’s, it was a beautiful and ornate resting place, the highlight of that cemetery.
This was a revelation--you have achieved (as you so often do!) a refreshed sense of discovery and context, and distilled the humanity from names that we assume we know, but whose work has become totemic and branded to a movement rather than analyzed outside of category (art nouveau, belle époque art, et al). Thank you for highlighting Mucha's feverish productivity, the breadth of his work beyond forever setting the standards for poster art, and the biographical details that make his accomplishments all the more relevant and poignant. Your authority and empathy in both research and presentation makes every new episode an enrichment to many lives sir, thank you so much for your meticulous work!
Just to add a quick footnote, I recently discovered Owen Jones' mammoth 1856 style guide "Grammar of Ornament", but had never heard of Mucha's "Documents Decoratifs" until you mentioned it in your incredible video. Grammar of Ornament and Documents Decoratifs are separated by a scant 45 years, and while admittedly serving a different purpose, comparing these two guides just highlights the amazing stylistic and mechanical reproduction advances seen in that relatively brief span of time. Thanks again!
Hello and many thanks for both your particularly flattering comments - music to my ears - and the insightful observations about Mucha and his place in the scheme of things. And I like it when this youtube thing becomes two way traffic so many thanks for the mention of the Grammar of Ornament. Never previously heard of it so I'll get searching.
The softness of color and astounding attention to detail in Mucha's work is legendary -- resplendent. As a child, I was given an illustrated book of children's stories. I remember the warm colors and wondrous illustrations. To this day, I wish I had that book. I cannot recall who created the art in the aforementioned, but it strongly resembled the works of Mucha. Many thanks Pete Beard.
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment. And oh yes, the things of our youth that got lost along the way...but on a positive note researching these videos has re-introduced me to many images from my youth I'd forgotten about, or who had created them.
Excellent video. As an artist myself, Mucha's work has a very poignant appeal. It's so lovely that it moves me to tears. Thanks for this glimpse into his work.
Thanks for this video! A Mucha print I saw as a kid was my first real art inspiration. I've always wanted to learn more about him as a painter and this was a great overview! There's something about his style that I find so captivating and mesmerizing...
Hello and thanks for the comment. I've been to the Mucha museum in Prague a couple of times but sadly they didn't have any jewellery on show (or at least not that I remember).
Hello and thanks for your appreciation of this video. I thought I knew Mucha inside out until I started making this tribute. I never knew about the book illustrations.
Alphonse Mucha - It may be that his subjects appeal to my prurient tastes but Mucha's llustrations are absolutely superb. For someone that was initially rejected from art school, his illustrations are simply astounding... an incredible improvement from the photographs that he sometimes worked from. Your videos constantly amaze me in how talented these artists were from an era 100 years ago.
Bedazzled - without words to describe the length, breath, height & depth of Mucha's unparalleled artistic vision & prolific works. Thank you so much for this amazing video. Thumbs up for sure.
Absolutely have been in love with Mucha for decades. Even have one of his illustrations as a full back piece tattoo. His 'Slav Epic' is really incredible; the details and colors are amazing. Great vid!
Thank you so much for putting this video together. I have loved Mucha's work for many many years. I've read his biography and marveled at his skill and technique. Thank you again.
Just when I thought I knew about Mucha I stumble across your video and become even more fascinated with his work. Thank you. Your documentary and research work is very appreciated, I love your work and now I find inspiration in it. Thank you, again, really.
Hello and I'm particularly grateful for your comment. I flatter myself that the channel is as inspirational as it is educational and your comment seems to confirm this belief. Thanks a lot.
I not only find his drawings and paintings phenomenal but am amazed at how they were able to reproduce and print them with the techniques they had. I'm in the publishing business and worked with films and all that before digital replaced all that. I'm anxious to learn how they did it then. I've done some engraving in art school and liked it a lot but his are extraordinary. We're talking about the lat 19th century... His posters of Sarah Bernhardt are legendary... Thank you sommuch for posting this video, I enjoyed it tremendously.
Hello and many thanks for your comment. I totally agree, having had some experience with various print processse in my time. Sadly there isn't nearly enough technical information about his methods and the conversion to print. I've been to the Mucha museum in Prague and they don't show any meaningful evidence there either. What I really don't understand is how details such as faces are rendered with very subtle tonal qualities if he was using traditional stone lithography. Even close up they look painted by hand.
Nice one, Pete. Mucha embedded himself in my mind from an early age. I was pleasantly surprised to bump into a lovely, quiet, intimate painting of his 'A Girl In Oriental Costume' in the National Gallery in Sofia in 2016 🇧🇬 It was great to see this, as it is unlike his fluid Art Nouveau style. All the best 🇬🇧
This video is a gem. I became aware of Alphonse Mucha in the 1970's while a teenager and retain to this day fond memories of scouring the the poster shops to find another reproduction for the wall of one's bedroom or student digs. Also in the 1970's as a student I spent a year in industry south of Brussels and visited the Victor Horta museum on occasions, one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau architecture and interior decoration in Europe and rekindling my interest in Mucha. Many years later, while on business in Prague I was very surprised to learn of the Mucha Museum in the Kounický palác. Sadly time did not permit a visit. Thank you for this video, it was pure delight to see the work of Alphonse Mucha again and to learn the story of his life. All the best, Rob in Switzerland
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation and comments related to this video. I'm ashamed to admit that when I went to Brussels a few years back I spent so much time in the comics museum there I ignored all other cultural delights. I must go back and make amends...
Wow Mucha was something else! Truly inspiring to see all the work he did once that he got popular on his 30's. Thanks for the amazing work on the video, I hope that you enjoyed your Christmas and wish you a happy new year.
Dear Mr Beard, Thank you for an excellent video of one of my favourite artists. Mucha epitomises Art Nouveau especially with the florid borders and probably influenced many jewellers and interior designers. Appreciation for all you work and I’ll endeavour to catch up in the Unsung Heroes series. All the best for 2022.
Hello Steve, and that's music to my ears. I very much didn't want this to be a channel just for those somehow connected to illustration or art, although Im happy that they watch too. As a similarly uncultured Mancunian (71) I really think that illustration is really art for all, and more relevant than what's now in many galleries.
Thank you so much for bringing this genius of an artist to our attention...he produced so many things of such beauty...that I for one am amazed at his talent.
2023 and this artwork still stands up, amazing talent to make thins so timeless, I study a poster and think "what was he thinking to create that little part of the illustration", just wonderful lines for being lines.
Hello and your very favourable response to this video is much appreciated. It has to be said a talent such as Mucha's makes my job that bit easier. I hope you will find more to enjoy on the channel.
Thank you so much could not think of a better way to spend 12 minutes . You gently presented an informative feast of Art Nouveau from a painter of undoubted genius .
Mr. Beard, if you are reading this notice, I have to say that I LOVED your content that you provide, especially with Searle, Grandville, illustrations of Don Quixote and Shepherd (which the latter I am very familiar with and loved both the source material and its takes from Disney and Soyuzmultfilm, which I grew up on.). The subject of Art Nouveu has been apart of my course on 19th Century Art at an institute.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of this - and other - videos on the channel. It's good to know that viewers such as yourself engage with the content.
Hello and many thanks for your comment. It's a great pleasure to know that these illustrators are making a strong impression on viewers such as yourself.
I have a few of these as cards, but most of the pics I hadn't seen. Absolutely terrific, it's really sad how beauty has largely disappeared from art since then. Thank you so much.
Hello and many thanks for your comment and appreciation. I see you are a writer of fantasy and if you haven't already seen it there's a video on the channel titled 'The Origins of Fantasy Art' which you might find of interest.
What a wonderful little film, thank you so much(a). I have always adored his work, and I feel that you have managed to give an inkling of what he was about and how skilfully he drafted his pieces. You have made me wish to visit both Paris and Prague to see the works you alluded to being displayed in those cities. In happier, safer times for travel, perhaps.
The episodes that I've seen so far are absolutely phenomenal. I've loved all the art you speak of. I was unaware of the artists in some episodes but my ignorance is dwindling. Thank you. Well done and we'll narrated.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I have no idea why but there has been a recent surge of new interest in this particular video, for which I'm very grateful.
Prior to this video, I'd ony seen a handful of his works, and had no idea he was so prolific! I love Art Nouveau and its esthetics. Your video is a treasure. Thank you. 🙏👍😎
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment. It's rewarding to know I've introduced viewers to aspects of Mucha's output they were unaware of. I didn't previouly know about most of his book illustration.
A wonderful appreciation of the master artist and illustrator! I first got to know his work at art school in the late 60's - a fascination with art Nouveau has stayed with me all my life, so I was very pleased to discover the Mucha Museum in Prague in 2008 and spend some time there. Thank you for your excellent presentations and for introducing me to more graphic artists I missed along the way!
Hello and many thanks for your comment. My own introduction to Mucha mirrors yours, it seems. Art school in 1969, mostly to meet girls and join a band. Neither worked out that well in the end.
@@petebeard Haha - yes, very close - I did join bands, and still play music.. but on my own terms now thanks to the wonders of Apple Macs and Garage Band! (You can take the boy out of rock 'n roll, but you can't take the rock 'n roll out of the boy, haha)
@@anthonyskellern5970 Hello again, and I did join a band - and even find a girl eventually, but not until after I'd left college. Never got anywhere with music and now I'm a Garageband player too. I find there are fewer musical differences that way, and the drummer never fails to turn up. Luckily the girl thing worked out better and we're still together. Such is life.
@@petebeard Can't say as I miss life on the road at all, haha! Well, you are obviously a creative person - these are very professional productions! Strange - who would have predicted that such a medium would even exist in our time, never mind that the quality would be so high! Keep up the good work!
Thank you so very much. I've been gobbling up your videos. They are informative (I especially appreciate the history and biography aspects), inspirational, and, of course, the curated images, are gorgeous.
My mom has a few posters of his advertisements hanging around the house but I didn’t know who was the artist behind them, I just knew I’d seen that style of Art Nouveau plenty of times elsewhere. Thanks for answering a question I’d had for years.
![Lethal Company Music Video 🎵 "Follow The Orders" [VERSION A]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QeooZB4Z7RA/mqdefault.jpg)
Its blows my mind that so much talent could reside in a mortal being. And that he could produce so many detailed and exquisite pieces like breathing. Mucha wasn't visited by the Muse, the Muse lived within him like a incandescent sun. Bet the art school that refused him enrollment slapped itself with the hardest face palm ever after he made his mark.
Hello and it dies seem that the late 19th and early 20th century positively bristled with creative giants.Hard to imagine him being rejected anywhere.
I think he was actually just skilled and studied a loooooooot
@@fleur5782 Talent will out, that's for sure. Sometimes school can actually squash talent.
@Janitor Queen 🌹🌹🌹👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
👁♥️👁
This man was a graphical genius, probably one of the most talented ever.
Hello and you'll get no argument from me. A true giant.
Agreed.
Well one person basically creates the feel of an age singled handed. Gotta say something.
@@glenchapman3899 I have to agree! In American art the same may be said of Norman Rockwell, who genuinely defined an age in the life of the American people.
@@captcardor Rockwell definitely. He did a brilliant job of reflecting America back on itself through his art.
"Permanently embedded", indeed - it is his graphic illustrations which are the most iconic in my mind. Thank you for showing us some of his beautiful interiors, paintings and murals!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. It's the book illustrations that really astound me.
@@petebeard I've long been a fan of Mucha, but your video revealed to me that I've only seen a small part of his entire catalog. Your excellent video inspires me to find even more. Like most people, I never knew anything about Mucha beyond his commercial posters.
@@ArtCurator2020 Hello and I'm very pleased to have introduced you to the more hidden aspects of his work. Similarly I thought I knew him but it was really the tip of the iceberg.
Peter this is a homerun! (That's an americanism for job well done, covering all the bases, etc.) Your production values are marvelous, and the inclusion of furniture and merchandise was informative. His work was the epitimony of the art noveaux movement, and permanantley embedded may be an understatement. Thanks again.
Hi Albert and thanks a lot. I did allow myself to tgink this one would be popular, but it seems to be going off like a rocket. Even I can't be glum about that...
I first saw his work as a young child and he has been my ideal artist for most of my life. His work has really been an inspiration to generations of artists.
Hello and it seems you are far from alone in your opinion of Mucha's astonishing body of work.
He and Waterhouse are my ultimate favorites
I owe my illustrative path to this artist. He hangs in my home to quietly nudge me into better work. Thank you Peter for this amazing series. When I lose my confidence and want to give up, I watch a video of yours . Happy New Year to you and your family .
Hello again and it's hard to imagine how anyone could fail to be moved and inspired by Mucha's work and creatuve soark. See you in 2022.
You have packaged the story of this iconic talent wonderfully. This is how art history should be taught. My hat is off.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of the video. It's particularly rewarding when viewers appreciate the videos don't make themselves. Thanks again.
If I can ever draw illustrations like Mucha I will die a happy man.
Hello and if you manage it you'll probably be a wealthy man too.
Likewise.
I've been waiting for you to cover Mucha, he holds great importance to my aesthetic inspiration as a digital illustrator and as a Slavic person. At the time I wrote my graduation essay, the information I could find about him was very scarce and I'm still disheartened that he is not included in our official art history books. Thank you for making this video, may Mucha's legacy live on!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I have admired his graohic work since the late 60s but I only found out about the painting and the Slav Epic a few years ago. Without doubt one of the greatest illustrators ever.
I'm one of the poor masses, that only knew of Mucha from his poster work. Loved learning new things about him! Thank you.
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment.
As a young man in the Sixties, I thought I was well-informed just knowing his name. Thanks for this presentation. It is just a dream in these times, but a trip to Prague to see his 17-year life work is on my list.
Hello and me too. I did visit years back and although I got to visit the Mucha museum, the other museum where the epic was housed was closed for renovation. This virus had better go away soon because I have to go again.
@@petebeard Oh Dear! When in 1996 I drove through France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, France & then England, Cornwall, Wales & Scotland, I can't say how many intended sights were "closed for renovation", but it was a lot. Or else they were unphotographable for the scaffolding. I don't regret any of it though!
Thanks for the great commentary on one of my favorite artists! I'm a former retired NYC fashion illustrator and floral designer and had my own art business selling illustrations and postcards and now painter. Some of my work has been inspired and influenced by Mucha! And I named my male orange and white Tabby cat , "Mucha"! I love his beautiful women and his sensual lines and in many circles Mucha is considered "the father of graphic design and illustration"! Also, love the Art Nouveau movement as well as Art Deco of the 1920s and 30s! May he rest in peace~♥♥
Thanks a lot for your appreciation, and comments about the wonders of Mucha's illustrations and art. Like others both Nouveau and Deco were largely instrumental in getting me interested in a career in graphics and illustration when in my teens. And I admire it just as much so many years later.
While his art skills were masterful, it's his graphic works that really sets him apart. His style is so unique, and I'm happy to see it still inspires many creators today.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment and insight.
When I was maybe three years old, I got a story book with art, nouveau illustrations, and fell in love with it. It’s the only book that I’ve kept from my childhood into adulthood because it is so beautiful.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment.
Pete, your videos are simply superior to other RUclips channels. Thank you and keep up the good work.
Hello again and thanks a lot for your flattering comment. It gladdens my heart.
I am 88 yo, Mexican-American , born in a copper mining town during the Great Depression of the 1930s. My parents divorced when I was 7, and my cross eyed sister, and autistic brother bounced around among loving, but poor, relatives. My dad raised us, and at times we had step mothers with her own kids. Poverty I know well and being motherless during my formative years too.
When I was 10 WW2 was raging and I stepped into tiny public library to get out of the cold rain. The kind librarian made me feel welcomed and introduced me to books among which adventure and fairy tale books with pictures became favorites .... This event changed my life forever... The stories and art in the books took me away to brain comforts I did not realize I needed to survive in healthy ways. I became an insatiable bookworm . The pictures in many of the books "sank" me into hours of relief from my objective realities.
This video took me back to my troubled childhood and causes me to assert that great 🎨 art (and graphics) played a role in saving me from dangers around me.
Mr. Beard: Thanks for the wonderful videos .... I have to end it here because my memories are welling up and I can't continue.
Hello and many thanks for your emotionally charged reflections on the past and the part some illustrations and books have played in them. I was born a few years after the war ended and many of the illustrators and the work I show in my videos featured in the books I read growing up. You are absolutely right that for some of us at least they offer an alternative reality it's nice to visit. Thanks a lot for sharing this insight.
I became aware of Mucha's art when I was in primary school. The school had a book in their library that contained his work. I loved every thing he did. It never gets old or out of date with me. He was an amazingly talented man.
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment and appreciation of the video.
I had to watch this again. What an incredibly gifted and prolific artist.
Thanks again for your wonderful videos. Cheers from sunny Vienna, Scott
Thnaks again for your comment - and a re-watch. I don't know if you've ever been but Prague is well worth a visit to see his amazing creations.
@@petebeard I was in Prague once, but we didn't see any Mucha. Next time.
Thank you so much for this, Pete! I so love Mucha's works- easily in my top 10 favorite artists of all time!
Hello and thanks for the appreciation. Anyone who dislikes Mucha's work must have no soul.
Thank you so much for this in-depth video into his expanded works, many of which I'd never seen before. As you pointed out, it is a shame that he is primarily remembered for his graphical/commercial works only, but clearly Mucha had such a wide body of work beyond that.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation and observations about Mucha's work.
One of my absolute favourite artists with such skill and tremendous influence. Thank you Peter for yet another informative and we'll made gem!
Hello and thanks a lot for the appreciation.
I went to Mucha eMotion show is Seoul, it made an impact on how I see arts. He is a genius. Glad I went to the museum that day.
Hello and yes Mucha was a true genius. The word is used too casually but not in his case.
Thank you for making this. I fell in love with his illustrations when I saw them in a book as a child and I think he influenced my decision to become a graphic designer (now retired). This video shows me more of his body of work than I have ever seen and I was not surprised that his vision was easily adapted to other places in our everyday world that benefited from the beauty of his designs. Thank you again.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciative comment about the video. And of course Mucha comes from a time when visual creatives didn't limit themselves, and his work is every bit as much design as it is illustration or art.
Mucha was an artistic genius, 'par excellence'! He stands with the other artistic 'giants' throughout human history from ancient to our contemporary times. His was a spiritually 'sublime' talent. Great video!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment.
Awesome. Thank you for sharing. This is my first exposure to the artist and his work. I am totally impressed with his talent, drive, creative genius, and artwork.
Hello and thanks for the comment. Nice to think he now has a new admirer.
When I first discovered Mucha's work, I immediately fell in love with it.
I have several books and calendars featuring his work.
Absolutely beautiful!
Hello and thanks for your comment. And with me too it was love at first sight regarding Mucha's images.
I went to a Mucha show that passed through our local museum here in Reno Nevada, and among all his crisp meticulous art neuvo works was one piece he did in a much more loose and messy impressionist style, a scene built out of choppy little brush strokes of all different wild colors. It was amazing- a very cheerful and colorful landscape painting which you could tell was by him but was totally unlike the rest of the show. Not exactly fauvist, the colors he used weren't deliberately jarring (there was a sweetness about them that seemed very consistent with his more famous stuff) but they weren't "realistic" either. I asked the docent about it and they didn't know the story behind it, but it showed he was a master of more than just one style. I wish he would've done more such pieces, there was an appealing freedom and abandon about it that was so uncharacteristic for him; but he probably figured there wasn't any money in stuff like this + just did it for his own amusement
Hello and that's an interesting story. Of course now I'm wondering which painting it was. It doesn't ring any bells.
He may have been an extremely passionate painter, but he was on another level all together with his graphic design ability! Genius!
Hello and that's certainly a sentiment I share.
As always, Mr. Beard, a thoughtful and beautifully paced presentation, brimming with details. This presentation, however, stunned me. The output of Mucha's work is breathtaking, and I was struck by some of the furnishings and interiors he designed, which you so generously offered us. Were any of his paintings/non-commissioned work confiscated/destroyed by the Nazis, I wonder, or did it manage to survive? (Perhaps it wasn't considered "degenerate" art.) Anyway, thank you, Mr. Beard. Happy Holidays.
Exactly!👍🏼
Hello and thanks a lot for the appreciative comment. Don't quote me because I don't know for sure, but I believe the Slav Epic was already in storage by the time the Nazis came marching in. And as for anything else they might have encountered I doubt they would have seen pretty girls and flowers as much of a threat. Maybe some of his more nationalistic paintings were trashed but I've never read so.
@@petebeard Полотна "Славянской эпопеи" были спрятаны в 1939 году работниками галереи в нескольких местах: намотанные на валы, они разместились в двух монастырях, Анежки и Страговском, а также в Земских архивах. Были заново открыты семьёй Мухи лишь через 25 лет.
@@user-oy-u-luzi Many Thanks. Google translation of the post: The canvases of the "Slav Epic" were hidden in 1939 by the gallery workers in several places: wound on shafts, they were housed in two monasteries, Anezhka and Strahov, as well as in the Zemsky archives. They were rediscovered by the Mucha family only 25 years later.
@@petebeard Thank you for taking the time to answer, Mr. Beard. Cheers, kind sir.
I have been a devotee of poster art for most of my life. I even own a coveted work of Cheret, which I display proudly. I am so glad to see this wonderful encapsulation of the career of a fantastically talented and prolific artist who always manages to convey great beauty and emotion in all his works. A heartfelt thanks for this study.
Hello and my thanks for your appreciation of the video.
Your commentary completely refreshed a rather overworked subject and there were things that I had not previously encountered in connection with Mucha. This is brilliant Pete. I'm gobsmacked!
Hello and thanks. As I said in the intro I hadn't planned to cover such low hanging fruit, but in the end I'm glad I did. I certainly learned a fair bit of previously unknown stuff. Le Pater was a real revelation - if only it had been in colour...
@@petebeard Me too! And yes indeed.
@@petebeard Прошу Вас, не надо цвета в Le Pater. ))) Благородство монохрома там самодостаточно и тонко. И свет с тенью отыгран блистательно.
I love, love Alphonse's work, and well remember all the posters available in the 1960s. I even have one, of The Moon (although bought only recently), and have long admired his work. I had no idea about his other art, though, and am really grateful for your fab video bringing it to our attention. Thanks, Pete, it's brilliant! :)
Hello and your favourable comment is music to my ears. It seems many of us are admirers of his work, which is hardly surprising. I'm just glad I've shown work many viewers hadn't seen before.
I have The Moon as the background on my mobile phone screen :-)
A lovely holiday gift. Thanks Pete. My grandfather came from Bohemian to the US as a young boy and I’ve always dreamt of visiting the old country, Prague, especially. Now I have even more incentive to do so. Wow those are massive paintings and to think they weren’t stolen by the Nazis! Although it seems they did take what was left of Mucha’s poor health. What a life he lead.
I’m sure I’ll watch this video several times.
Cheers and Happy New Year 🎊🎆
Hello and my usual thanks for your comment. I believe the Slav Epic had already been put into storage before the Nazis marched in. Whether that was just good luck or deliberate I don't know. And tere are many worse ways to spend your time than visiting Prague. I've been a couple of times and it's very beautiful and very friendly. And of course then there's mucha's work on display. I hope the coming year is better for us than the last one.
@@petebeard yes! Let’s hope!
I simply adore Mucha. What a fantastic artist he was !
I have decorated my bedroom with New Ages Art.
Of course, because of my shortage of money I couldn’t buy the originals, and I only have copies, but the beauty is still there and I am so happy to have these beautiful objects and drawings around me. Every day, especially in these difficult times in Europe,
I find happiness and confort, just to admire all these beautiful pieces of art, and this, thanks to Lalique and Mucha who were (among others) such great and gifted artists of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Thank you very much to Pe Beard for showing us so many Mucha’s chefs d’oeuvre that I didn’t even know before !!!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I wouldn't worry too much about only having Mucha prints. Apart from his actual paintings all the posters were printed by traditional likography so technically there are no originals. That's what I call art for the people.
Alphonse's work is truly inspiring.
Hello and that's for sure. An astonishing body of work.
Thank you for posting this mini documentary on Alphonse Mucha. I had never heard of him before. His work was stunningly beautiful.
Hello and I'm really pleased to have introduced you to his work.
TEAR ? For some odd reason, I have "teared" at genius in the arts, athletics, design, from early childhood to the point that colleagues and friends have sent or referred me to things with "tear?" attached. Some of Mucha does, lately Dimash Kudaibergen's vocal work to a great extent. Once in a generation talent.
Hello and altough it's not something I go in for myself - stiff upper lip and all that - it's a perfectly human reponse to being in the presence of great art. After all it's supposed to stir the emotions.
Incredible! Thank you so much for giving Mucha the prominence he deserves. I had NO IDEA he was so prolific and had done such monumental works in his later years.
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment. It seems the video has brought previously unknown work to viewer's attention. Mine too I'm glad to say.
I'd only been aware of Mucha by the reproductions of his posters, I had no idea he had done such intricate illustrations and monumental paintings!
Off Topic: if by chance you're not aware (and I wouldn't be surprised if you already know) pre-orders for a new 300+ page compilation of Franklin Booth begins at the end of January 2022 by Flesk Publications which should be fantastic!!
Shameless Plug. Yes, I heard about this new Flesk book from Bud Plant recently. and from ther website it looks fabulous. Don't forget my American Weekly covers of Edmund Dulac is half price this week on Smashwords.
Hello and thanks for the comment. And I wasn't aware of the book, although I have to confess these days I rarely buy them uless the subject is particularly close to my heart. Since making the videos the screen has become my library to a large extent.
@@petebeard A criticism well taken. However, more and more Ebooks are published about art and illustration which you can simply download and have in your digital collection. I'm planning several more from the American Weekly collection, including artwork from Will Pogany and Henry Clive.
Mucha and Maxfield Parrish have always been two of my favorite artists. So lovely! Thank you!
Hello and thanks for your appreciation.
I was so lucky that I visited a Mucha exhibition held at National Art Center, Tokyo 4 years ago. It was the first time that all 20 works in The Slav Epic series had been displayed outside of the Czech Republic.
I was totally overwhelmed by the solemn beauty and the massive scale of them (as is mentioned in this video, each of them is as large as 6 meters x 8 meters.)
I, as a Japanese woman with one of her grandparents having the roots in Europe, I felt his passion and sorrow through those paintings. (Mucha was a Pan-Slavist in the era of bigoted nationalism.)
Hello and many thanks for your comment and insight about Mucha and his work. I have been to Prague a couple of times and have been both times to the Mucha museum. But both times the Slav Epic was closed for one reason or another, so that is still something I have to see before I die.
@@petebeard Thank you for creating such a beautiful video!🙂
P.S. I shouldn’t have mentioned “nationalism” with the adjective “bigoted”. The relation between nationalism and “pan-slavism” is a very sensitive topic. I sincerely apologize if someone felt offended by reading my first comment.
I visited the Alphonse Mucha museum in Prague 2016 never got to see the slav epic. I love his work and how he captures beauty in every piece.
@@rukathehamsteratwork8896 Панславизм как идея объединения, сочетания близких культур ради их синергии, и национализм, как защита чешской самоидентификации, далеки от национализма в том смысле, который теперь приписывается этому слову. Там нет ненависти к другим культурам и нет подавления других культур. Есть лишь гордость за свою самобытность и сложную историю народа. Так что фанатичность у Мухи не окрашивается негативом по отношению к другим: он любил людей.
Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma had a show of his work about twenty years ago, probably a collection that was touring the U. S. It included everything from posters to large paintings to small sketches. I had known and liked his work for years, but seeing reproductions is nothing like seeing the actual originals. They are awesome. He was immensely talented and a real master of technique. I doodle a bit, have sold a few things but have no real training. I remember standing in front of one of his sketches just thinking, "I'm not worthy..." 😆
Then I went and plunked down way too much money for the catalogue. No regrets on that. Thank you for this review of his life and work. It is lovely.
Hello and ir has to be admitted that they broke the mould when they created Mucha. His paintings really do fill the viewer with awe, similar to the Renaissance greats. Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
Mucha means a fly in czech and slovak language (and maybe in other slavic languages)
Funny fact from Slovakia
Thank u for another great video!
In polish too!
Hello and thanks for the edicational comment. It makes sense - mosca is spanish and mouche in french.
As a kid from the 90’s, I can affirm that Mucha is indeed, “super fly”.
:-)
I love his art! Thank you so much for talking about him. I didn't know about the way he had passed. His works were really a watershed for the art world, they were and still are amazing.
Hello and many thanks for your comment. He was a genius for sure.
Thank you again for the amazing content!! 😀
Hello and it's my pleasure. Thanks for commenting.
Thank you - such pure visual pleasure! The images, curves are iconic - what a beautiful end-of-year gift to your fans!
Hi again and thanks as usual. Mucha made my job easy.
One of my favorite artists.
Hello and yes, me too. I didn't previously know about his book work.
@@petebeard I saw Mucha’s grave in Prague when I was in The Czech Republic back in the late 1990’s, it was a beautiful and ornate resting place, the highlight of that cemetery.
This was a revelation--you have achieved (as you so often do!) a refreshed sense of discovery and context, and distilled the humanity from names that we assume we know, but whose work has become totemic and branded to a movement rather than analyzed outside of category (art nouveau, belle époque art, et al). Thank you for highlighting Mucha's feverish productivity, the breadth of his work beyond forever setting the standards for poster art, and the biographical details that make his accomplishments all the more relevant and poignant. Your authority and empathy in both research and presentation makes every new episode an enrichment to many lives sir, thank you so much for your meticulous work!
Just to add a quick footnote, I recently discovered Owen Jones' mammoth 1856 style guide "Grammar of Ornament", but had never heard of Mucha's "Documents Decoratifs" until you mentioned it in your incredible video. Grammar of Ornament and Documents Decoratifs are separated by a scant 45 years, and while admittedly serving a different purpose, comparing these two guides just highlights the amazing stylistic and mechanical reproduction advances seen in that relatively brief span of time. Thanks again!
Hello and many thanks for both your particularly flattering comments - music to my ears - and the insightful observations about Mucha and his place in the scheme of things. And I like it when this youtube thing becomes two way traffic so many thanks for the mention of the Grammar of Ornament. Never previously heard of it so I'll get searching.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🌅🏆👏🏆👏🏆👏🏆👏🏆👏🏆👏🏆👏🏆🌿💎🌿💎🌿💎🌿💎🌿💎🌿💎🌿💎🌿💪👑💪👑💪👑💪👑💪👑💪👍💯👍♥️
Inspired so many artists from the 60's to today. Thank you. Wonderfully done.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of this video.
The softness of color and astounding attention to detail in Mucha's work is legendary -- resplendent. As a child, I was given an illustrated book of children's stories. I remember the warm colors and wondrous illustrations. To this day, I wish I had that book. I cannot recall who created the art in the aforementioned, but it strongly resembled the works of Mucha. Many thanks Pete Beard.
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment. And oh yes, the things of our youth that got lost along the way...but on a positive note researching these videos has re-introduced me to many images from my youth I'd forgotten about, or who had created them.
@@petebeard -- You're most welcome. All the best -- W
Thank you! I am a huge admirer of his work and of art nouveau in general.
Hello and thanks for the comment. Ir seems he is by far the most popular subject I've covered on the channel.
Excellent video. As an artist myself, Mucha's work has a very poignant appeal. It's so lovely that it moves me to tears. Thanks for this glimpse into his work.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation.
Thanks for this video! A Mucha print I saw as a kid was my first real art inspiration. I've always wanted to learn more about him as a painter and this was a great overview! There's something about his style that I find so captivating and mesmerizing...
Hello and many thanks for your comment. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and found out more about his astonishing art.
Wow, Alphonse Mucha's work is sublime. I love beautiful art like that. Thanks for sharing Pete Beard.
Hello and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you very much Sir Pete Beard!! I listen to all stories about " Unsung Artists" illustration very interestingly and I get great pleasure!!
Hello and thanks for the appreciation for the channel content. I'm very pleased you enjoy it.
My favorite artist.. .I was lucky enough to see a showing of his works in a museum in the Netherlands. The jewelry was exquisite!
Hello and thanks for the comment. I've been to the Mucha museum in Prague a couple of times but sadly they didn't have any jewellery on show (or at least not that I remember).
Fabulous artistry. Delicate and detailed, beautiful colours and graciousness everywhere in his work.
Thanks a lot fr the comment.
Thank you! Being 1/4 Bohemian, I love learning more about Mucha. He was an inspiration to me LONG before I knew his name.
Hi and I'm gald you enjoyed it. I rarely use the word 'genius' but in Mucha's case it's hard not to.
Thank you for bringing Alphonse Mucha's work to a RUclips video. I have enjoyed his art for many years and yet had no idea of the range of output.
Hello and I'm grateful for your appreciation.
I'd known Mucha only through his posters, so this video was a revelation to me. Thank you for producing and posting it.
Hello and thanks for your appreciation of this video. I thought I knew Mucha inside out until I started making this tribute. I never knew about the book illustrations.
Alphonse Mucha -
It may be that his subjects appeal to my prurient tastes but Mucha's llustrations are absolutely superb. For someone that was initially rejected from art school, his illustrations are simply astounding... an incredible improvement from the photographs that he sometimes worked from. Your videos constantly amaze me in how talented these artists were from an era 100 years ago.
Thanks for another favourable reaction to the channel content. It's good to know I'm getting through to viewers such as yourself.
Bedazzled - without words to describe the length, breath, height & depth of Mucha's unparalleled artistic vision & prolific works. Thank you so much for this amazing video. Thumbs up for sure.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of this video. I must admit Mucha made my job easy.
Absolutely have been in love with Mucha for decades. Even have one of his illustrations as a full back piece tattoo. His 'Slav Epic' is really incredible; the details and colors are amazing. Great vid!
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of this video. I'm glad that you discovered and enjoyed it.
I love Alphonse Mucha. I have at least five posters of his plus an engraved “ Spring” mirror in my dining room. His art was and is magnificent!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment.
Thank you so much for putting this video together. I have loved Mucha's work for many many years. I've read his biography and marveled at his skill and technique. Thank you again.
Hello and thnks to you for the appreciation.
Just when I thought I knew about Mucha I stumble across your video and become even more fascinated with his work. Thank you. Your documentary and research work is very appreciated, I love your work and now I find inspiration in it. Thank you, again, really.
Hello and I'm particularly grateful for your comment. I flatter myself that the channel is as inspirational as it is educational and your comment seems to confirm this belief. Thanks a lot.
@@petebeard Thank you so much for your reply! It's truly an honor! Yes, your videos are very inspiring indeed!
I not only find his drawings and paintings phenomenal but am amazed at how they were able to reproduce and print them with the techniques they had. I'm in the publishing business and worked with films and all that before digital replaced all that. I'm anxious to learn how they did it then. I've done some engraving in art school and liked it a lot but his are extraordinary.
We're talking about the lat 19th century... His posters of Sarah Bernhardt are legendary...
Thank you sommuch for posting this video, I enjoyed it tremendously.
Hello and many thanks for your comment. I totally agree, having had some experience with various print processse in my time. Sadly there isn't nearly enough technical information about his methods and the conversion to print. I've been to the Mucha museum in Prague and they don't show any meaningful evidence there either. What I really don't understand is how details such as faces are rendered with very subtle tonal qualities if he was using traditional stone lithography. Even close up they look painted by hand.
Art Nouveau is my favorite style and Mucha is my favorite artist. Thank you. Such an interesting life.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of this video.
Nice one, Pete. Mucha embedded himself in my mind from an early age. I was pleasantly surprised to bump into a lovely, quiet, intimate painting of his 'A Girl In Oriental Costume' in the National Gallery in Sofia in 2016 🇧🇬 It was great to see this, as it is unlike his fluid Art Nouveau style. All the best 🇬🇧
Hello and many thanks for your comment. It was in the late 60s post-hippy period that like many others I first saw his work. Love at first sight.
@@petebeard Groovy!✌🏼
This video is a gem. I became aware of Alphonse Mucha in the 1970's while a teenager and retain to this day fond memories of scouring the the poster shops to find another reproduction for the wall of one's bedroom or student digs. Also in the 1970's as a student I spent a year in industry south of Brussels and visited the Victor Horta museum on occasions, one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau architecture and interior decoration in Europe and rekindling my interest in Mucha. Many years later, while on business in Prague I was very surprised to learn of the Mucha Museum in the Kounický palác. Sadly time did not permit a visit. Thank you for this video, it was pure delight to see the work of Alphonse Mucha again and to learn the story of his life. All the best, Rob in Switzerland
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation and comments related to this video. I'm ashamed to admit that when I went to Brussels a few years back I spent so much time in the comics museum there I ignored all other cultural delights. I must go back and make amends...
Wow Mucha was something else! Truly inspiring to see all the work he did once that he got popular on his 30's. Thanks for the amazing work on the video, I hope that you enjoyed your Christmas and wish you a happy new year.
Hello and thanks a lot for the favourable comment. And good wishes to you for the coming year - surely it has to be better than the last one...
Wonderful overview of his life and work. Thank you for all you do Peter; I love your channel!
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation.
Dear Mr Beard,
Thank you for an excellent video of one of my favourite artists. Mucha epitomises Art Nouveau especially with the florid borders and probably influenced many jewellers and interior designers.
Appreciation for all you work and I’ll endeavour to catch up in the Unsung Heroes series.
All the best for 2022.
Hello and thanks a lot for the positive comment. And here's hoping 22 is an improvement on the one just gone.
The amount of detail in his works is what makes them absolutely stunning.
Hello and that's just one aspect of his genius. Definitely one of the greatest illustrators.
Thank you, Pete for sharing the art of this amazing artist. I am in awe of his talent.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of this video.
Thanks Pete, I'm basically a totally uncultured Yorkshire boy (69 now) from Halifax, and yet your videos fill me with delight. Many thanks!
Hello Steve, and that's music to my ears. I very much didn't want this to be a channel just for those somehow connected to illustration or art, although Im happy that they watch too. As a similarly uncultured Mancunian (71) I really think that illustration is really art for all, and more relevant than what's now in many galleries.
Thank you so much for bringing this genius of an artist to our attention...he produced so many things of such beauty...that I for one am amazed at his talent.
Hello and it gladdens my heart to know viewers appreciate the videos, and that I'm raising the profile of these marvellous illustrators.
2023 and this artwork still stands up, amazing talent to make thins so timeless, I study a poster and think "what was he thinking to create that little part of the illustration", just wonderful lines for being lines.
Hello and yes, timeless is certainly what his work is.
These videos keep getting better than better. I love how so many illustration styles are documented. Great writing and pacing as well.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of my work. It matters to me.
This is a sublimely beautiful documentary. And the narration is flawless. Thank you Pete!
Hello and your very favourable response to this video is much appreciated. It has to be said a talent such as Mucha's makes my job that bit easier. I hope you will find more to enjoy on the channel.
Thank you so much could not think of a better way to spend 12 minutes . You gently presented an informative feast of Art Nouveau from a painter of undoubted genius .
Many thanks for your comment and appreciation of this video.
Mr. Beard, if you are reading this notice, I have to say that I LOVED your content that you provide, especially with Searle, Grandville, illustrations of Don Quixote and Shepherd (which the latter I am very familiar with and loved both the source material and its takes from Disney and Soyuzmultfilm, which I grew up on.). The subject of Art Nouveu has been apart of my course on 19th Century Art at an institute.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of this - and other - videos on the channel. It's good to know that viewers such as yourself engage with the content.
I can't even begin to comprehend the existence of Mucha. Especially the fact that he was making his art over 100 years ago.
Hello and many thanks for your comment. It's a great pleasure to know that these illustrators are making a strong impression on viewers such as yourself.
I have a few of these as cards, but most of the pics I hadn't seen. Absolutely terrific, it's really sad how beauty has largely disappeared from art since then. Thank you so much.
Hello and many thanks for your comment and appreciation. I see you are a writer of fantasy and if you haven't already seen it there's a video on the channel titled 'The Origins of Fantasy Art' which you might find of interest.
@@petebeard Thanks, I will certainly check it out.
What a wonderful little film, thank you so much(a). I have always adored his work, and I feel that you have managed to give an inkling of what he was about and how skilfully he drafted his pieces. You have made me wish to visit both Paris and Prague to see the works you alluded to being displayed in those cities. In happier, safer times for travel, perhaps.
Hello and thanks for the comment. If you ever make it to Prague you won't be disappointed.
You are brilliant at this - Thanks for honouring the life and works of Mucha. Such a great artist. One of my favorite of all time.
Hello and thanks for the flattering comment, and judging by viewing figures your opinion of Mucha is shared by a lot of people.
The episodes that I've seen so far are absolutely phenomenal.
I've loved all the art you speak of. I was unaware of the artists in some episodes but my ignorance is dwindling.
Thank you.
Well done and we'll narrated.
Hello and thanks a lot for your enthusiastic comment about the channel content. It means a lot to me.
Thankyou for this beautiful film about Mucha. You have included a lot of his wonderful works.
Thanks a lot and I certainly included quite a few I hadn't seen before.
I absolutely love Mucha's work! Take one and really study it in a meditative way. Wow! Incredible artist!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I have no idea why but there has been a recent surge of new interest in this particular video, for which I'm very grateful.
Thank you. Enjoyed this immensely. Contained many images I had not seen previously. Excellent overview of Mucha and his work.
Hello and thanks a lot. I certainly found great work I hadn't previously known about when making this video.
One of my favorite artists. His designs are so solid. Even 100+ years on he inspires.
Hello and thanks for the comment.
Prior to this video, I'd ony seen a handful of his works, and had no idea he was so prolific! I love Art Nouveau and its esthetics. Your video is a treasure. Thank you. 🙏👍😎
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment. It's rewarding to know I've introduced viewers to aspects of Mucha's output they were unaware of. I didn't previouly know about most of his book illustration.
Art Nouveau was the last true art. Everything since has been de-evolution to one degree or another. Thanks for the great video!
Hello and thanks a lot for your apprciation of the video. I hope you'll find more on the channel that;s f interest.
Wow, Peter. Great job on your special presentation of Alphonse Mucha. I feel that your speculations are educated at best.
Hello and thanks a lot for the positive reponse to the video. Sadly, there's rather too much guesswork involved, but sometimes there's no alternative.
Thank you for showing some of his paintings, not just his graphic work. I had no idea! I'm of to investigate more now 🙂.
Hello and enjoy your searches.
@@petebeard Thank you! I sure will
Beautiful presentation of a beautiful artist. I love Mucha’s work. Your presentation is sterling. Thank you
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of the video. Mucha made my job that much easier.
A wonderful appreciation of the master artist and illustrator! I first got to know his work at art school in the late 60's - a fascination with art Nouveau has stayed with me all my life, so I was very pleased to discover the Mucha Museum in Prague in 2008 and spend some time there. Thank you for your excellent presentations and for introducing me to more graphic artists I missed along the way!
Hello and many thanks for your comment. My own introduction to Mucha mirrors yours, it seems. Art school in 1969, mostly to meet girls and join a band. Neither worked out that well in the end.
@@petebeard
Haha - yes, very close - I did join bands, and still play music.. but on my own terms now thanks to the wonders of Apple Macs and Garage Band! (You can take the boy out of rock 'n roll, but you can't take the rock 'n roll out of the boy, haha)
@@anthonyskellern5970 Hello again, and I did join a band - and even find a girl eventually, but not until after I'd left college. Never got anywhere with music and now I'm a Garageband player too. I find there are fewer musical differences that way, and the drummer never fails to turn up. Luckily the girl thing worked out better and we're still together. Such is life.
@@petebeard Can't say as I miss life on the road at all, haha!
Well, you are obviously a creative person - these are very professional productions! Strange - who would have predicted that such a medium would even exist in our time, never mind that the quality would be so high! Keep up the good work!
Thank you so very much. I've been gobbling up your videos. They are informative (I especially appreciate the history and biography aspects), inspirational, and, of course, the curated images, are gorgeous.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of the channel content.
My mom has a few posters of his advertisements hanging around the house but I didn’t know who was the artist behind them, I just knew I’d seen that style of Art Nouveau plenty of times elsewhere. Thanks for answering a question I’d had for years.
Hello and glad to have cleared that up, even if unintentionally.