Prague and Alphonse Mucha

Anyone interested in Czech art and design came across the name of the art nouveau artist and designer Alphonse Mucha (a.k.a. Alfons Mucha). If you came to Prague, you also came across his works, whether you were aware of it or not. As all copyright of Mucha's work is in the hands of the Mucha Foundation, we can't carry any of the decor pieces made from his designs. But if you visit Prague, we strongly encourage you to seek them out. This is Jim Freeman's personal story of how he explored the work of this amazing artist, which continues to inspire us.

Visit to Mucha's House

In XXXX I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Madame Geraldine Mucha, Alphonse Mucha's daughter-in-law. Geraldine is very charming lady, an accomplished composer of classical music and a Scot who lived in Prague for most of the communist years. She offered us a private tour of their house at the castle, where she lived and which then still had all of the original decor. It was ceiling to floor Mucha.

Interestingly, Alphonse never lived in this house. He had a villa built in Bubenec, where the communists eventually decided to place an embassy and literally kicked out Mucha's family. Alphonse's son Jiri found this house on Hradcanske Square and moved all family posessions there, not only recreating the feel of the original atelier but further enhancing it. Alphonse's friends said they feel as if he was to walk into the door any moment.

Besides Mucha's amazing artwork, there are many costumes and props he used for his models and which thus had the "right" to live with the Mucha family from then on. There are many objects Mucha found in flea markets in Paris and antique furniture he loved. There is a harmonium he bought for his first "real money" in Paris, that traveled with him everywhere he worked and lived. There is a photo of Mucha and Gaugain in Paris, playing that harmonium in their underwear. There are artworks by other famous artists who were Mucha's friends - a Rodin sculpture among others. Anything from furniture to tobacco box, both the objects that inspired him and the objects that he created ... it's all there. But it wouldn't be there if Mucha's family didn't protect it. Despite his son being jailed for 7 years, despite all the pressures on Geraldine, not a single item was sold to keep food on the table. Today, Geraldine and her son John have realized Jiri's lifetime dream to have a museum of Alphonse Mucha's art, so much of their collection moved there.

The Slav Epic

In the late 90's Misha and I motorcycled virtually all around the Czech Republic and on one of these trips we came to a small town in Moravia. We passed a crumbling big pale yellow building with peeling plaster walls - a monestary or a chateau perhaps, one of the many. Later Misha tapped my shoulder and pointed me to stop at the edge of the road. "I think this is where the BIG Mucha paintings are," she said. I thought she was kidding me, but she said that the name of the town sounded familiar and back at the entrance to the monastery, there was some little sign saying something about Mucha. We turned around and parked next to the two or three cars in front of the building. We were in Moravsky Krumlov and the weatherworn building was the chateau housing Mucha's famous Slav Epic. It was late in the afternoon and we were the only people there, not counting the lady who sold us the tickets - about $4 each.

Mucha toyed with the idea of painting the Slav epic since the World Fair in Paris in 1900. In 1910 he returned from France, where he lived and worked for many years and began painting the first piece at the age of 50. In the next 18 years, he painted 20 mindblowing paintings with the most typical size being 13 by 20 feet. The whole cycle named "Slav Epic" follows the major events in the history of Slavic nations and most of these events were very dramatic. We were blown away.

The Epic was first exhibited in the Trade Fair Palace in Prague in 1928 and painter gave his work to the Czech people and technically to the city of Prague, which was suppose to design a special exhibition space for them. As the Epic's purpose was to build the self-esteem of Slavs and in particular the newly formed Czechoslovakia, Mucha was one of the first people the Nazis grabbed once they invaded Prague. He died as the result of their interrogation in July 1939 and his paintings were hidden in a cellar space, somewhat suffering from the moisture. Eventually, they were exhibited at the Moravsky Krumlov castle since 1963 and the communists were not too eager to bring them to Prague. I remember Madam Mucha's concern about their destiny and the endless talks about how and when they should be permanently moved to Prague. Currently, Prague's municipality is planning to build a special exhibition building at the Prague Fair Grounds, where they were first exhibited in 1928. It's about time for them to return to the spotlight.

The St. Vitus Cathedral

In today's world of short term gratification the story of the St. Vitus Cathedral sounds like a fairy tale. The current cathedral stands in the heart of "The Castle" complex in Prague, in place of the original rotunda from 925. The present day Gothic Cathedral was founded in November 1344 by the great Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV. who also started the Charles University and built the Charles Bridge. Fast forward some 600 years ... by the time of St Wenceslas jubilee in 1929, the St Vitus cathedral was finally finished and the celebration was held by the First Czech President - Tomas Garrique Masaryk. And because much of the final touches were done at the beginning of the 20. century, you can find art nouveau windows in a gothic cathedral. The windows in the north part of the nave were designed by Alphonse Mucha.

The Municipal House

When I first came to Prague in January 1993, the Municpal House was known to all expats as the place of lost grandeur that housed one of the coolest pubs. The building twice entered the Czech history as this is where the independence was proclaimed in 1918 and where Vaclav Havel held the first discussions with the Communist party here during the Velvet Revolution 1989. The place was showing the years of neglect and this held some additional romance to the artists and writers who came for some beer and talk. Between 1994 and 1997 The Municipal House was fully and sensibly reconstructed and it was like watching an old lady become young again. The current cafe's and restaurants are out of most artits's budgets, but they gleam in their original glory.

For more information about Alphonse Mucha and his work, please visit the Mucha Foundation site.