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Inspiration from Artists Week 65 Featuring Artists Rowland Hilder and Alphonse Mucha.

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Russell Edwards

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Great choice of artist Alan, I am certainly familiar with some of his paintings but wasn't aware of his posters, fabulous work.

Alan Bickley

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A few of his limited edition etchings… the last one is hand coloured by Hilder.
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Lewis Cooper

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Here's a couple I particularly like... ...and a masterclass in perspective.... More railway posters.  These have been described as a travelling art gallery. Something slightly different...

Alan Bickley

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Great selection Lew… the Ely Cathedral vintage carriage poster is currently on EBay at £500! 25x50cm
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Lewis Cooper

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I'll have to do this early or I may not get it done.  I've collected a library of art-work from the internet, about ten years ago I started a few slideshows that I could show on my large screen TV.  They were mostly artists who had a good story like Alphonse Mucha.  What follows is some of these pics.  So here we go...
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Lewis Cooper

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Hit the wrong button and posted before I intended.  It continues... In 1939 the Nazis invaded his country.  Mucha's Slav Epic had been rolled up and hidden, but the Nazis knew his paintings represented patriotism and resistance to oppression, so the Gestapo took an interest in him.  They interviewed him.  He was old and unwell and he was released.  Soon after he died.  After the war, his Slav Epic was restored and put on display. Mucha's main obsession had been the Slav Epic paintings, these were a colossal undertaking in every sense, display wonderful artistry.  But for me it's his posters that I think of when his name is mentioned.  If you are into Art Nouveau paintings, Alphonse Mucha is at the top of the list. Here are my three favourite posters...

Tessa Gwynne

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Wow Lew, great detail and information thank you. I was of course aware of his Bernhardt work and posters of that style, but didn’t know about the Slav Epic which is amazing. I can see why you chose your favourite three at the end. The one on the right I find particularly tender, and I like the idea of the left side one with its limited colours and feel of looking through to the figure. Excellent choice. Thank you.
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Lewis Cooper

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Thanks Tessa.  The Slav Epic was in his thoughts for most of his life.  There are 20 vast paintings, I've only shown a couple.  Tremendous work and his lifetime ambition, but strangely it's his commercial work, his posters, that most appeal to me.  He went to America in the hope of drumming up sponsorship for the Epic series.  The Hearst magazine pictures are an example of the work he did there.  The cost of producing these paintings must have been enormous...first the huge canvasses themselves, then the amount of oil paint just to cover them...mind-bendingly expensive.

Tessa Gwynne

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Indeed. I shall look further. 
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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Lew thank you for your very in-depth introduction, a artist that I was not particularly aware of but know the name . You have put together a superb presentation and shown his work off really well, I’m not a great fan of Art Nouveau in general but do enjoy some of it and the skill that is needed to achieve such high quality. There is no doubt about his skill , it’s evident in every line he draws and paints , fascinating that he used reference photos and recognised the value of them . I will look at his work late and particularly his Slav paintings.

Denise Cat

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Really interesting and indepth read  Lewis. Presented really well, very enjoyable looking at his art and reading about his journey.

Jenny Harris

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Great intro. Lewis.  I love Art Nouveau and he is one of my favourite artists, I especially like his decorative posters. Like Tessa, I wasn’t aware, though, of his Slav Epic series.

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by Jenny Harris

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