Seated Woman, plate no. 48 from Documents Décoratifs 1901

Alphonse Mucha's "Seated Woman" appears to be made with lithographic inks on paper. The image presents a woman in a yellow gown holding a branch. She is captured in a circular frame decorated with repeating shapes. I am always fascinated by how artists decide what to leave in and what to leave out. The woman is looking downward as if lost in thought. What is she pondering, I wonder? Perhaps Mucha was interested in the decorative possibilities of the female form and the challenge of designing an image for commercial purposes. I’m struck by the flat decorative elements of the work. This creates a sense of contained energy, like stained glass. These choices are the result of an ongoing conversation between the artist, the subject, and the materials. It is a conversation that we, as viewers, are invited to join.