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ALPHONSE MUCHA (1860-1939)
118
●
[ZODIAC] / LA PLUME. 1896.
25x18
1
/
4
inches, 63
1
/
2
x46
1
/
2
cm. F. Champenois, Paris.
Condition B+: expertly-repaired tear at right edge into image; minor repaired
tears, restored losses and abrasions in margins; tape and pencil notations on
verso; hinged to mat at top edge. Paper. Matted and framed.
With
Zodiac
, Mucha reaches the full maturity of his style, with every one of
his signature design elements in their most fluid and elaborate incarnations.
The image was originally published as a calendar by F. Champenois but was
quickly bought by
La Plume
, who began issuing it as a calendar with their
own name at the top. The image was a huge success and was ultimately used
for a variety of different advertising purposes; in all, ten different variations
have been identified (see lot 122). With this image, Champenois realized
they could begin licensing out Mucha’s images to different companies, upon
which they could imprint their own names, resulting in a very profitable
side business for the printer who already owned all the rights to Mucha’s
works. Brno 8 (var), Lendl 56 (var), Rennert / Weill 19 (var 1), Mucha
Grand Palais 23 (var), Darmstadt 28 (var), Arco p. 85, Sarah Mucha p. 28
(var), Mucha / Henderson 131, Mucha / Posters and Photographs 24 (var),
Mucha / Bridges C4a, Triumph des Jugendstils 63 (var), Spirit of Art
Nouveau p. 79, DFP-II 629, Schardt p. 131.
[15,000/20,000]