Lygie 1901

This is 'Lygie', by Alphonse Mucha, and what strikes me is the way he’s created a mood with colours like soft lilacs and yellows, all intertwined with these elegant, swooping lines. You can almost imagine him at work, pencil in hand, carefully mapping out each curve and flourish. I think that Mucha was probably thinking about the decorative arts when he made this, and how it relates to graphic design. The Art Nouveau feeling makes you want to reach out and touch it! That languid figure leaning forward, resting her chin on her hands, reminds me a little of Klimt's portraits, with all that intricate detail. It's like a love letter to beauty and grace. It makes me think about the way that artists have always looked to each other for inspiration, borrowing and building on ideas across time and space.