Season 1895

This is Alphonse Mucha’s “Season,” an early example of the aesthetic that came to be known as Art Nouveau, printed as a decorative panel. Mucha used commercially available lithography, a printmaking technique, to create the image. Lithography depends on the simple principle that oil and water don’t mix, to transfer an image from a flat stone or metal plate. Mucha was not alone in using the latest technologies in commercial art, as the Industrial Revolution lowered manufacturing costs and consumerism soared. His work, with its flowing lines, muted colors, and idealized figures, perfectly captured the spirit of the time. This panel was not intended for the walls of a fine art gallery. Instead, it was meant to be widely disseminated, adorning the walls of middle-class homes and businesses alike. While the materials and methods used in “Season” may not have been traditionally associated with high art, Mucha's skillful application of them elevated commercial printing to a form of artistic expression.