A major exhibition celebrating the work and influence of renowned Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha has opened in Washington, D.C. Entitled Eternal Mucha – The Magic of the Line, the exhibition showcases over 100 of Mucha’s works and will travel across the United States and Mexico for nearly two years.
Currently on display at The Phillips Collection, the exhibition presents a comprehensive survey of Mucha’s artistic journey. It includes his early childhood drawings from Moravia, his iconic Sarah Bernhardt posters, advertising banners, sketches, and preliminary studies. The collection, loaned by the Mucha Foundation, highlights the artist’s influence on graphic design and his lasting impact on contemporary art.
Tomoko Sato, curator of the Mucha Foundation, emphasized the exhibition’s goal of contextualizing Mucha’s famous Art Nouveau style:
“Alphonse Mucha is particularly famous for his poster work. However, we are going to show inspirations for his style, what ideas were behind such a design approach, and what kind of impact he still has on today’s artists.”
Marcus Mucha, the artist’s grandson and head of the Alfons Mucha Foundation, noted that the exhibition also explores Mucha’s Czech roots and how his work continues to inspire art forms ranging from rock posters to comic books and video games:
“For our Czech audience, and we hope that Czech people will come and see this exhibition here as well, they will see how a boy from the small town of Ivancice created artworks that, over a hundred years later, continue to influence artists worldwide.”
The Eternal Mucha exhibition will remain in Washington until May 2025 before embarking on a North American tour. According to David Galligan, who oversees the Mucha Foundation’s exhibition program, the next stops include:
- New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe (June–September 2025)
- Boca Raton Museum of Art, Florida (November 2025–March 2026)
- Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City (April–August 2026), coinciding with the football World Cup events in the city
- Museo Kaluz, Mexico City (October 2026–February 2027), marking Mucha’s first major exhibition in Mexico
Marcus Mucha, who traveled to Washington to present his great-grandfather’s work, expressed how honored the artist would be:
“If Alphonse could have imagined that one day his artworks, 160 years after his birth, would be exhibited in such a prestigious museum as The Phillips Collection, he would have been immensely happy and proud.”
The Legacy of Alphonse Mucha
Born in 1860 in Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic), Mucha rose to fame in Paris, particularly for his collaboration with French actress Sarah Bernhardt. His intricate compositions, flowing forms, and idealized depictions of women became defining features of the Art Nouveau movement. His posters, book illustrations, decorative panels, and advertisements not only transformed graphic design but also left a lasting mark on the visual arts.
His work experienced a resurgence in the 1960s when psychedelic rock posters embraced his aesthetic, influencing bands like the Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones. His influence extended to American comic books, Japanese manga, and contemporary murals, proving the timeless nature of his artistry.
Curator Tomoko Sato noted, “Mucha believed that art should be accessible to all and that beauty could speak directly to the soul. His harmony of line, color, and proportion created an emotional connection between the artwork and the viewer.”
Through an in-depth exploration of Mucha’s impact, Eternal Mucha – The Magic of the Line reaffirms his role as a revolutionary artist whose vision continues to shape contemporary art and design.
If you’re in the U.S., this exhibition is highly recommended. However, if you have the opportunity to travel, we strongly suggest visiting Prague, where a newly reopened Mucha Museum now showcases the Slav Epic after a long wait. Stay tuned for more details in our next update!
Read the Press release on the exhibition published by The Phillips Collection.
Follow all the news and activities happening in Prague HERE.
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