Whitman’s chocolates and confections. Philadelphia 1895 - 1917

Alphonse Mucha made this print for Whitman’s Chocolates and Confections in Philadelphia. Look at how he’s built up the background like a mosaic – so many tiny pieces coming together. Artmaking, for me, is a bit like that, a process of assembling fragments, like notes in a chord. I love how Mucha uses color and texture here. The rich browns and blues in the background give way to the soft, glowing tones of the woman's face and hair, creating a sense of depth and dimension. There's this one strand of hair, curling around her neck like a wisp of smoke, it’s so delicate and precise, but also completely free, like a doodle. Mucha's work always reminds me a little of Gustav Klimt. Both artists were masters of ornamentation and the female form. But where Klimt could be quite decadent, Mucha has a sweetness, an Art Nouveau lightness of touch. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation, building on what came before, and moving towards something new.