I escaped the office this morning, and went in search of a little inspiration at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. If you’re not familiar with the Sainsbury Centre it’s the one of the premier university based art galleries in the UK. Based at the UEA in Norwich, it contains 3 permanent collections, and regularly hosts temporary exhibitions. The reason for my visit today was to view the Alphonse Mucha collection on show at the centre until 20th March.
Alphonse Mucha shown with posters for Sarah Bernhardt in his studio c1901
Alphonse Mucha was a Czech artist whose work became synonymous with the Art Nouveau movement. Known for creating elegant feminine advertising posters and decorative panels, his work is instantly recognisable to many who don’t know his name.
The exhibition, Alphonse Mucha: In Quest of Beauty, includes a range over 60 examples of his work chosen around a theme of beauty. Mucha believed that art should enrich people’s lives, and beauty was a core principle behind his philosophy.
The exhibition is primarily drawn from the collection of the Mucha Trust, and includes paintings, sketches, photographs, and of course the posters he’s most recognizable for. The flatness, decorative style, and typography of the posters have influenced and inspired graphic designers for over a century.
If you’d like to see Alphonse Mucha: In Quest of Beauty the exhibition is open until the 20th March, and only costs £7 to get in, so it’s well worth a visit. If you’ve never visited the Sainsbury Centre before you’ll also enjoy their own collections of both modern and ancient art.