Photogravure plates
Mucha illustrates his philosophic interpretation of the verse in monochrome images that follow.
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Czech artist Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) was a featured artist at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900.
Known for his commercial design for posters and advertisements, Mucha was enjoying success in Paris leading up to the time of the exposition and received commissions for design work for pavilions, exhibition halls, and even the cover for the official guide to the Austrian exhibitions.
Le Pater is considered to be one of Mucha’s finest works and was published in in an edition of 510 copies in December of 1899 at the dawn of the 20th century. Mucha exhibited drawings from this work, along with drawings other illustrated books at the Exposition.
VMFA’s copy of Le Pater is number 478 and boasts a unique sculptural leather binding by Nicolas Frères.
In this work Mucha interprets each of the seven verses of the Christian prayer each richly decorated with border designs, symbolic figures, and floral patterns.
Drawings from Ilsée Princesse of Tripoli and Documents Décoratifs were also on view at the Exposition.
VMFA library holds a published copy of each.