Existing comment:
Alphonse Mucha
Cast by Emile Pinedo(?)
Nature, ca 1900
Alphonse Mucha was a prolific artist associated with the Art Nouveau Movement in France. He is best known for his posters of sensuous female figures, including those of the celebrated French stage actress Sarah Bernhardt. In 1899, Mucha began to develop the concept of a female portrait bust representing Nature, which is now recognized as one of his most important sculptures. He displayed a cast of this sculpture in the Austrian section of the Paris World's Fair in 1900. The museum's example, most likely cast by Emile Pinedo, is one of six versions known to exist. The figure's swirling locks of hair show Mucha's skill in creating dynamic movement. Mucha thought so highly of this model that he also showed another example at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Arts in Turin in 1902. |