DOCUMENTS DECORATIFS. 1901. 29 3/4x17 5/8 inches. Condition B+: restored losses in bottom right corner; repaired tears and creases in margins; horizontal folds. This poster was printed by the Librairie Central des Beaux-Arts<> to help sell Mucha's book, which they had published. The simple, monochromatic design (which is the same image that appeared on the cover of the book) is a reflection of the money the publisher had to spend on marketing. Documents Decoratifs<> is in fact a portfolio, consisting of 72 plates comprising an encyclopedia of Mucha's work, giving examples of his creations in the various fields of decorative arts and explaining his creative process. "It was Mucha's artistic creed. . . it was used for years by many art schools as a textbook and influenced a whole generation of artists" (Rennert/Weill p. 288). Rennert/Weill 79, Mucha, A47.
