Daytime

Mucha's beautiful Daytime was created in 1899 as part of a series of four panels depicting "The Times of the Day".

The four panels (Morning, Daytime, Evening and Night) were Art Nouveau, le Mucha Style, featuring a beautiful woman in an elaborate gothic-like border and created in the beautiful, distinctive colours that set Mucha's work apart.

The decorative panels were a form of poster without text, unlike Mucha's promotional posters. The marketing genius of printer, F. Champenois who contracted Mucha, was delighted by the success of an earlier series of panels called "The Seasons" and so Mucha embarked on a number of panel series like "Times of the Day", depicting and personifying various themes like flowers and arts.

To Mucha, this "mass marketing" of his art enabled even the poorest people to have access to beautiful artwork in their own homes. Mucha, who believed in a spiritual element to his art, felt this would lift and elevate people's spirits and beautify their lives.

Each panel is slightly different to represent the time of the day. The brightness of Daytime is shown in the blue sky background and the beautiful, yet slightly seductive woman is facing the day ahead.

In keeping with the Mucha style, she is adorned with beautiful flowers which flow in a harmonious and sinuous way like the folds of her gown and lines of her hair.

The beautiful, ethereal feel that Mucha captures in Daytime, gives the viewer a feeling of tranquility. The border, reminiscent of a stained glass window of a church, elevates the piece and enables the viewer to aspire to greater things.

Mucha's art is as relevant today as it was in Paris in 1899. This piece is timeless.