Alphonse Mucha Plume et Primevere
Buy this print on Etsy →One of Alphonse Mucha's most beloved decorative designs, this is 'Plume et Primevère' (Feather and Primrose) - part of the pair of panels the great Czech master created in 1899, in which two dreaming young women are paired with the delicate emblems of a feather and a primrose flower. Set within Mucha's signature arched frames, haloed by flowing hair and sinuous ornament, they are the very essence of Art Nouveau grace and one of the definitive images of the Belle Époque.
Mucha (1860-1939) became an overnight sensation in 1890s Paris after his poster for the actress Sarah Bernhardt, and he went on to define an entire visual language - so completely that Art Nouveau was, for a time, simply known as 'le style Mucha.' Alongside his theatre posters he produced beautiful 'panneaux décoratifs,' decorative panels sold to be framed and hung in the home, of which 'Primevère' and 'Plume' are among the most enchanting. They were art made expressly to live on a wall, which is exactly why they still work so perfectly there today.
Everything that people love about Mucha is here: the serene, idealised faces, the extraordinary rhythm of the hair and drapery, the soft pastel palette, and the jewel-like ornamental borders that turn each panel into a little stained-glass window on paper. The feather and the primrose lend the two figures a gentle poetry, poised somewhere between portraiture and pure decoration.
As wall art it is timelessly elegant. The soft colours and flowing forms suit a bedroom, living room, hallway or dressing room, and the design looks especially beautiful framed as a pair or set into a romantic gallery wall. It makes a wonderful gift for lovers of Art Nouveau, Mucha collectors, and anyone drawn to feminine, decorative vintage art, and it pairs beautifully with other Mucha panels and Belle Époque prints.
Because the original dates to 1899 and Mucha's work is now in the public domain, we are able to reproduce it at full museum quality.
Each print is produced on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper, faithfully capturing the delicate line work, soft colour and warm vintage paper of the original - ready to frame and enjoy for years to come.
