ALPHONSE MUCHA (1860-1939) [THE SEASONS.] Circa 1897.
17 1/2x26 3/4 inches, 44 1/2x68 cm.
Condition B+ / B: restored losses in margins; repaired tears in margins and image; repaired pin holes in corners; wide margins; fresh colors. Mounted on Japan.
Mucha designed his first series of allegorical seasons in 1896. In the wake of their commercial success he went on to design this series the following year. While in many ways this second group of allegorical beauties are much like the first, there are also some differences between the two. Most obviously, these are substantially smaller in size and sharper in color than the pastel palette of the first series. This rare variation "was put on the market as a decorative panel by cutting off the calendaria at the bottom, omitting all lettering, and filling the space between the panels with solid gold bars, rather than the white separators used in the original" (Rennert / Weill p. 156). previously unseen at auction. Rennert / Weill 37, var. 3.