Recent trip to Prague and Alphonse Mucha

I have always loved Art Nouveau. The perfect art movement for a lover of blossoms, blooms, pattern and natural form. Growing up in our family home we had a few of Mucha's posters displayed so his work was familiar to me. He was a graphic designer who really knew how to create an impression that went beyond the product. 

So last week when I visited a friend in Prague I was really excited to see the Mucha gallery. There were so many works of art that I had never seen before, and they were so beautiful in the flesh. 

Prague itself is a captivating city - the buildings are tall and embellished with ornate swirls and elegant faces. Every street surprises with ice cream colours and intricate mouldings. 

We spent so much time in restaurants and cafes, soaking up a proudly independent culture. It was really lovely having our friend and Czech guide Bara as we weaved our way through streets avoiding the crowds. Rich creamy foods were consumed at regular intervals in restaurants where revolutions were plotted and planned. We sat in cafes where thinkers like Einstein and Kafka had dined and sipped. 

The Mucha museum is off the famous old square with the enchanting astronomical clock complete with a tragic story. The town commissioned this work of genius but when it was complete they ordered the clock makers eyes be blinded so he could never make anything as beautiful again. So sad, but the clock maker made it so the clock wouldn't work and it took the town 100 years to work out how to make the beautiful mechanics keep time again.

But back to Mucha. I love looking into the life of artists, even if they may not be aware, you can see how the world they were born into has an effect on their art. Alphonse Mucha was born in the now Czech republic in 1860. He grew up in a time of great bloodshed in his country, and with a real belief in the independence of the Czech people. He was kicked out of school for not being very academic and only pursued art because of a chance encounter with a church mural on the way back home to start work as a clark. 

Mucha resolves to be an artist but the path is far from smooth. Living here, there and everywhere he works first as a theatre set painter and then as an illustrator. At one point he shares a studio with artist Paul Gauguin. Finally he is reconised with the painting of Sarah Bernhardt in Gismonda and a his familiar style is born. Mucha becomes a household name throughout the world, helped by his advertising work in Paris.

All along his life Mucha has a passion for the Czech people and his culture. One of the last things we got to see was the Slav Epic. For creating this amazing collection of artworks Mucha dedicated 20 years of his life. The 20 paintings are ginormous with depth and detail and mood-setting colours. He donated the works to his country on the condition that they would build a specific building to house the pieces. When Germany invades Czechoslovakia in the war the canvas are hidden underground - preserved for future generations. 

It was really great finding out more about the culture and history of an artists I love. Prague is a fascinating place, the Czechs are lovely people and the Art Nouveau influence on the city I think is something to savour.