Mucha – The Family Collection
Mucha – The Family Collection
*The exhibition *Mucha: The Family Collection, which has been taking place since 15. 7. in the Waldstein Riding School, is now extended until 31. 12. 2022.** The exhibition maps the life and work of Alphonse Mucha in a way that has not been presented before and will surprise everyone who perceives Mucha only as a great decorator and creator of lithographs. The story of a globally known and respected artist is told through selected works from the family collection, some of which are being presented to the public for the very first time. "We want to show my grandfather’s versatility as an artist, who firmly believed that one of the basic tasks of art is 'not to tear down, but to build bridges.' In other words, something that we need nowadays perhaps more than ever," says Mucha's grandson and President of the Mucha Foundation, John Mucha. The exhibition takes visitors through the most important stages of Mucha's life – from his childhood in South Moravia, through his studies in Paris, his friendship with Paul Gauguin and Auguste Rodin, his stay in America through to his return to Czechoslovakia and the creation of the monumental Slav Epic, one of the most important works of art in Czech history. Eva Jiřičná, a world-renowned architect, and her Prague studio AI Design created the architectural concept for the space in Waldstein Riding School. "Like Alphonse Mucha, Eva Jiřičná has a strong reputation all over the world, so it is a very prestigious connection. For me personally, it also has an interesting charm in the way that she is a known minimalist, while Mucha is famous for rich decorativeness,” says John Mucha about this unique cooperation. The exhibition has been organised by the Mucha Foundation in cooperation with the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic on the occasion of the Czech Presidency of the EU. The exhibition Mucha: The Family Collection follows the record-breaking exhibition at the Musée du Luxembourg in Paris, held under the auspices of the French Senate in 2018.
