Young Woman

Masterfully executed and vivid, this impactful painting is an outstanding, newly discovered example of Alfons Mucha’s mature work. In this period, alongside work on large, multi-figure canvas, Mucha often also engaged in depictions of solitary women that not only referenced Slavic mythology, but also the mysterious world of Oriental priestesses. In the form of a young woman hypnotising the viewer, Mucha captured a mysterious power, referencing his experiences with Parisian theatre at the turn of the twentieth century when the influence of the Orientalism then in vogue was palpable.  The overall execution of the painting is masterful; the artist has achieved the impression of a gentle breeze blowing through the painting, tousling the hair and drapery. The colour palette seems almost monochrome, yet we can observe a wide range of colours from a subtle, golden yellow to white – the single colour that stands out more expressively is the green of the large emerald set in the young woman’s ring. This scene, with its captivating atmosphere embodying the finest elements of Art Nouveau with a touch of Symbolism, can unreservedly be classified as an artefact of high value to collectors and galleries. Assessed in consultation with Prof. R. Prahl, CSc. and PhDr. Š. Leubnerová. The expert opinion of PhDr. K. Srp is attached: “[...] Here one of our most experienced figurative painters has developed the contrast between stillness, embedded in the symmetrical face of the girl, and movement, expressed through the dynamic composition of her body, rising from the left edge of the frame, while the right side of the painting remains empty. This relationship between repose and movement imbues the painting with a clear compositional accent that demonstrates the artist’s recollection of the finesse of the nineteenth-century Orientalists. Mucha also reveals another side of women in the painting – the subject’s captivating, mysterious sensuality contrasts with the dreaminess of his Slavic goddesses. In the context of his work from the early 1930s it is a significant work that substantially enriches the understanding of his oeuvre. [...].”