Mucha

1905 · 3220535 — <i>4to 10 ff; 52 monochrome illustrations of work by Mucha and 28 illustrations by other French Art Nouveau artists; in the original decorated wrappers.</i><br /><br />A very rare trade catalogue of mural panels and other graphic designs mainly by the famous Czech Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha 1860-1939 but also including a selection of works by other French artists such as Cossard and Sonrel. Many works offered here for sale have subsequently become icons of the French Art Nouveau movement. His lithographed panel sets of "Les Quatre Saisons" Les Fleurs "Les Heures du Jour" and "Les Arts" seem by today's standards almost absurdly cheap at between 30 and 40 francs each whilst smaller posters calendars and menu cards are even more modestly priced. The second part of the catalogue presents the works of 8 other French artists who interpret the vivid colours and flowing vegetative forms of Art Nouveau in a variety of ways. Those such as Cossard and Sonrel demonstrate the influence of Mucha's style which had been established in the first poster he made for the actress Sarah Bernardt in 1894. Others are more circumspect in their adoption of the style adhering more to the 'chocolate box' school of illustration. A rare catalogue valuable not only as a collection of Mucha's work but also as an indication of Continental popular taste in prints of the period. With the Dutch retailers stamp of C. L. Petersen on the upper cover. paperback