In honor of Alfonse Mucha's birthday, I thought I would post an encore of my mini episode about the poster that catapulted him to fame. In December 1894, Alphonse Mucha just happened to be in the print shop checking some proofs for a friend, when in walked an actress, Sarah Bernhardt in need of posters for her upcoming play. All of the regular artists she worked with were off for the holidays leaving Mucha as her only option. It was a tremendous stroke of luck for both of them as Mucha created a stunning poster that not only flattered the actress, it caught the attention of collectors all around Paris. People were cutting the posters off of displays and bribing the poster hangers so they could get copies, and the Mucha style laid the foundation for Art Nouveau.
Related episodes:

Alphonse Mucha | Gismonda (full episode from season 1)

Art Smart: Art Nouveau


Check out my other podcasts Art Smart | Rainbow Putty Science Lab
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