Heather from Coastal Cliffs 1902

Alphonse Mucha made "Heather from Coastal Cliffs," measuring 74 by 35 centimeters, with lithography. Look at the way Mucha uses line, it's so consistent and controlled, giving the whole piece a real sense of calm and serenity, but the subject matter is a figure, not a landscape. Think about it - how often do you see a picture of someone where the composition has a feeling of total rest? It is all to do with his particular approach to mark making. The way the decorative elements are woven in and around the figure, the texture and weight of the flowers, the line of her neck. It all contributes to this atmosphere. The piece has a lightness, the thin, transparent application of the lithographic ink, that makes the whole thing seem to float. It reminds me a little bit of Klimt, who was similarly interested in the combination of flatness and decoration. Ultimately though, like all great pictures, the meaning is in the eye of the beholder, and I encourage you to bring your own experiences to it.