Slovanská Epopej Moravský Krumlov

Alfons Mucha

Alfons Mucha
Alfons Mucha belongs to the big names of the world fine art. His life work has celebrated Czech Art Nouveau all over the world. Mucha´s top production is epochal cycle of the monumental canvases called The Slav Epic. Mucha wanted to do homeage to his homeland and Slav people.
Alfons Mucha was born on 24th July 1860 in the South Moravian town Ivančice which is in the near of Moravský Krumlov. He came from a poor family. He showed a big musical and graphic talent when he was a young boy. Thanks his talent he had obtained referral to study high school in Brno where he could develop his gift. He earned a little extra as a choirboy during his studies and he developed his musical talent too. He left his home after the studies because his visions of the future were different from his father´s ones. His father wanted him to be a judicial officer.
Young Mucha went to Germany where he started to study a graphic school. He finished his studies in Paris in 1889. The Parisian stay was a big start for his genius because just in Paris it was born his unique style L´ART NOUVEAU that has influenced many productions and industrial products too. At the beginning of Mucha´s career he became famous thanks his work for a famous actress Sarah Bernhardt and her Theátre de la rennaisance in Paris. He painted posters for the theatre, he created and painted scenic schemes and costumes. He started to think about a huge production with scenes of the Slav history and mythology during his Parisian engagement. Lack of money made him leave Paris.
Alfons Mucha went to the United States where he found a graphic and plastic school. He taught there and lectured at universities, he worked hard. During his visits in Chicago he got in the Slav community that was very populous. And he met industrialist Charles Gran there. Gran promised to cooperate and support Mucha to create the monumental production.
Alfons Mucha returned to his homeland in 1910. He rented the atelier in the castle near Zbiroh. He immured himself as a friar and realized his big artistic dream. Mucha was generating the whole cycle of the Slav Epic for almost 20 years and finished his work in 1928. He donated the production to the capital city Prague, it was exhibited in the City Gallery Prague in 1928 for the first time. The production was stashed during fascistic occupation. It has been exhibited in the castle of Moravský Krumlov since 1963.
Alfons Mucha died on 14th July 1939. His remains have been buried at Vyšehrad-Slavín among other big names of the Czech nation.
Art Nouveau enthusiasts and admirers of its master might also visit Alfons Mucha´s exposition in his home town Ivančice.

THE SLAV EPIC IS PROVISIONALLY CLOSED