A comprehensive exhibition at the Belvedere reveals the many facets of this Czech artist

By Daniel Spichtinger.

Born in Moravia (today part of the Czech Republic) the Czech Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Maria Mucha (1860-1939) is best known for his posters immortalizing the performances of the famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt, which were created during his Paris period. These works, including the ads for Gismonda and Medea are on prominent display in the exhibition of Mucha’s work in Vienna’s Belvedere. However, the exhibition goes far beyond these iconographic posters and displays exhibits that are less known but equally beautiful. They range from the very small – like jewellery designed according to his specifications – to the monumental, like the pavilion for Bosnia-Herzegovina which he decorated for the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris.