Woman With Headscarf And Star Medallion 

Alphonse Mucha made this drawing of a woman with headscarf and star medallion, probably in the late nineteenth, early twentieth century. It is a work on paper, and the softness of the chalky medium gives it a feeling of intimacy. The symbol of the Star of David suggests that the woman is Jewish, although the romantic softness of the image is typical of the Art Nouveau style, which often avoided direct engagement with social issues. Mucha was Czech, and his career took place in the context of rising antisemitism and other forms of ethnic nationalism. Looking at such an image, historians can ask all kinds of questions. Did Mucha intend for this image to signal solidarity with Jewish people? Was it simply a commercial commission? Or was it more personal? These are questions that can be clarified by further research into the artist's biography and the social context in which he worked.