Property from a Private Collection, Hilton Head Island, SC

Description:

Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939), The Seasons, 1896, Complete Suite of 4 Lithographs, printed by Paris: F. Champenois, with allegorical depictions of young women as seasons Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter; Spring wears white and holds a lyre, with flowers blooming in her blonde hair and all around her, in soft green and purple hues, Summer leans on a grapevine and wears a crown of poppies in her dark hair, her feet in a pool of water, in strong blue and red warm colors, Autumn is in a vineyard, with a cluster of grapes in one hand, wearing a wreath of chrysanthemums in her auburn hair, in warm sunset tones of yellow, pink and purple, Winter stands in a snowcapped bush, wrapped in a green hooded cape and holding a bird, in pale pink, purple and white pastel shades, all with shaped mats and silvered wood frames. Sheet Size: 41 1/2 in. x 22 3/4 in. Frame size: 52 3/8 in. x 43 1/4 in. Provenance: Purchased Christopher & Co. European Poster Art, Edwards, Colorado, August 2000, $75,000.

Alphonse Maria Mucha was a Czech artist known for his Art Nouveau illustrations and designs. Mucha studied art in Munich before moving to Paris where he studied at both the Académie Julien and Colarossi. While living and working in France, he transformed the art of the poster and took on increasingly ambitious commissions. The first half of his career was spent creating theatrical panels typified by soft pastel colors, swirling lines and vertical orientation. He also designed jewelry, wallpaper, carpets and both sets and advertisements for theaters. Later in life, he retired to Prague and dedicated himself to the crafting of his magnum opus, The Slav Epic. Mucha’s work can be found in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The National Gallery in Prague and The Musee D’Orsay, among many other institutions and private collections. (Artnet and AlphonseMucha.org)

Measurements: Height: of images 39 1/2 in. x Width: 19 1/2 in.

Condition:

Good restored condition, Spring with faint crease in arm near elbow, spot of restoration in dress between hips, and areas of restoration in left thigh and in and around raised foot, Summer with restoration in lower quadrant to left of feet and center of bottom edge in pond and a small spot of inpainting below bent knee and a faint crease in pond near calves, Autumn with areas of restoration in toes and background around feet, Winter with creasing to paper and restoration lower left edge, and areas of restoration in bottom of dress, snow in bottom quadrant and in tree to right of knee, papers slightly wavy in frames, light wear to edges of frames.

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