179 - Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939)

Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939) Byzantine Head – Brunette, 1897 Original color lithograph on vellum paper, printed by F. Champenois, Paris. Signed “Mucha” on the plate in the lower left corner. Dimensions: + Sheet: 40 × 35 cm (15.7 × 13.8 in.) + Image (medallion): 34.5 × 28 cm (13.6 × 11 in.) Condition: Good overall condition. Slight, uniform yellowing of the sheet; a few small, scattered foxing spots in the lower margin; fresh, well-preserved colors. Unframed. References: Rennert/Weill 40 One of two decorative panels published in early 1897 along with its companion piece, *La Blonde*. The hair spilling out of the medallion and the tiara adorned with pendants—which foreshadows the jewelry designed for Georges Fouquet—make this one of the iconic images of Mucha’s Parisian period.