Alphonse Mucha: The Illustrator Who Changed the Advertising World

This event is hosted externally by NY Adventure Club.

Alphonse Mucha arrived in Paris in 1887, living in relative poverty as an obscure illustrator for many years. On Christmas Eve in 1894, the Lemercier printing firm was tasked with making a poster for the reopening of a play featuring one of the world’s most famous actresses, Sarah Bernhardt. Mucha happened to be one of the few illustrators available over the holidays, so it fell on him to design the poster by New Year’s Day. What resulted was a poster that captivated Paris — one that would launch his design career and help him become one of the most celebrated graphic designers of the Art Nouveau period. This is the story of Alphonse Mucha and how his posters changed the advertising world.

Join New York Adventure Club as we explore the Paris portion of Alphonse Mucha’s career, and the exhibition Alphonse Mucha: Art Nouveau / Nouvelle Femme formerly debuted at Poster House — through exhibitions, events, and publications, this museum presents a global view of posters from their earliest appearance in the late 1800s, to their present-day use.

Led by Poster House Chief Curator, Angelina Lippert, our digital showcase of Alphonse Mucha and his ground-breaking posters will include:

• An overview of Poster House, the first museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to posters, which opened its doors in the Summer of 2019
• The story behind Alphonse Mucha’s rise to fame and advertising career, which all started when he met the legendary Sarah Bernhardt, the most famous actress of the time
• A discussion around Mucha’s artistic style, which used alluring, strong women to advertise everything from cookies to bicycles, and alcohol to rolling papers — all inspired by his professional relationship with Bernhardt
• The profound impact of Mucha on the future of posters, and how his designs helped elevate women to be a part of a buddying 20th-century world with newfound independence and social agency

Afterward, We’ll have a Q&A with Angelina — any and all questions about the Mucha or general poster history are welcomed and encouraged!

Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually!

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you’re using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week