"After Alphonse Mucha presented his poster for Sarah Bernhardt's play, Gismonda in 1895(above), he became a celebrity. Spurning the bright colors and the more squarish shape of the more popular poster artists, the near life-size design was a sensation.
Living above a cremerie that catered to art students, drawing illustrations for popular (ie. low-paying) magazines, getting deathly ill and living on lentils and borrowed money, Mucha met all the criteria. It was everything an artist's life was supposed to be.
Some success, some failure. Friends abounded and art flourished. It was the height of Impressionism and the beginnings of the Symbolists and Decadents. He shared a studio with Gauguin for a bit after his first trip to the south seas."-- Jim Vadeboncoeur.
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| Mucha in his studio |