Alphonse Mucha

Alphonse Mucha was a Moravian painter of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. His stlye of painting influenced a large number of painters, graphic artists, draughtsmen, and graphic designers. He believed that true art should be "elevated and epic."

In 1877, Mucha applied to the Academy of Visual Arts in Prague, but his application was denied. Although he didn't get into the academy, he continued attending drawing classes. In 1879, he got a job in Vienna as an assistant in a firm that made stage sets, which is where he gained his knowledge of theatre and the art of interior decoration.

At this point, Mucha was feeling confident enough in his artistic skills to take up portrait painting. It was later on thathe began creating his own posters for the play called "Gismonda." His style was considered so unique that it earned a great deal of attention from the public. This of course influenced Mucha to create more beautiful posters, as well as illustrations for books and magazines.

Mucha and the Art Nouvea era go hand in hand. Most of his paintings consist of beautiful curvy women surrounded by nature or earth-like tones.