This was the first major exhibition of the work of Alphonse Mucha to be staged in Spain. It was organised in collaboration with the Fundacio La Caixa.
The exhibition looked at all facets of Alphonse Mucha’s art in relation to four broad themes: Theatre, Beauty, Mystery and Modernity. It also focused on four specific aspects of his oeuvre that illustrate the scope of his work:
The Metropolis as Stage
While Mucha offered an idealised vision of nature in his work, he worked in an urban and cosmopolitan environment at a time when Paris was at the centre stage of international culture and industry. The 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle signaled the international expansion of ‘le style Mucha’ and introduced his work to European and American audiences.
Photography as Tool and Art
Mucha was an accomplished photographer and used this medium as a compositional aid from early on in his career. The camera also allowed him to document his travels in preparation for his later works. His photographs reveal a sensitive, creative and visionary photographer with a marked interest in the poetic effects of light.
The Slav Epic: A Vision
Mucha devoted much of his life to his ambitious Slav Epic project which captures key moments in the history of the Slavic Peoples. When Czechoslovakia was created in 1918, Mucha designed posters, bank notes and stamps for the new republic.
The Spread of ‘Le Style Mucha’
In 1900 ‘le style Mucha’ was synonymous with Art Nouveau. Mucha’s influence was felt in a number of domains, from mass-market products to the work of artists such as Alexandre de Riquer, Eulogio Varela and Gaspar Camps.