Research and analysis of the works of Alphonse Mucha: Art Nouveau and fashion

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5965/25944630922025e6891

Keywords:

Alphonse Mucha, Art nouveau, Fashion, Belle Époque

Abstract

This research seeks to analyze, within the historical context of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the contrasting portrayal of fashion in the posters of the prolific artist Alphonse Mucha compared to the predominant clothing styles of that period, which experienced the artistic and sophisticated atmosphere of Art Nouveau. The aim of this research is to study the historical context and aesthetic references of the Art Nouveau movement, analyzing women's fashion during the Belle Époque, from the point of view of the socio-cultural transformations of this period, linked to the influence of Alphonse Mucha, as well as his influence on the Art Nouveau movement and fashion, investigating the nuances of the female figure in his works, understanding the influence of the colors of the Belle Époque on his creations and analyzing the portrayal and symbolism of fashion in his commercial posters. To this end, the methods used included screening the materials, content analysis, interpretation of the data collected, visual analysis of illustrations and photographs, description of Belle Époque clothing and its representations in the works of Alphonse Mucha, qualifying the study as bibliographical research of an exploratory nature. In addition, theoretical bases from scholars of the Belle Époque and the Art Nouveau movement and fashion historians were researched and analyzed. Therefore, the representation of fashion in Alphonse Mucha's posters presents symbols and signs of a social change inherent to human evolution and the role of women as individuals with desires and belonging.

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Author Biographies

Clara Damasceno Zandoná, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"

Master's student in Design at the Faculty of Architecture, Arts, Communication and Design (FAAC) of the Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP). Specialization in Fashion, Art and Culture at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF). Graduated in Fashion, with a major in Modeling and Product Development, from the State University of Maringá (UEM); Worked as a scholarship holder in the Institutional Program for Scientific Initiation Scholarships - PIBIC, with funding from CNPq; Participated in the History, Fashion and Textile Research Group (GEMOTEX).

Marizilda dos Santos Menezes, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"

Marizilda dos Santos Menezes holds a PhD in Urban Environmental Structures from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at USP (1998); a Master's Degree in Built Environment Technology from the São Carlos School of Engineering at the University of São Paulo (1989); Specialization in Design - Environnement from the Ecole des Beaux Arts et Arts Appliqués de Nancy - France (1980-1982); Graduation in Batîment - Ecole des Beaux Arts Et Arts Appliqués de Nancy (1983); Completion in Industrial Design from the Armando Álvares Penteado Foundation (1980); Graduation in Drawing and Plastics from the Faculty of Fine Arts of São Paulo (1975). She was Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Design at UNESP for the three-year periods 2004-2007 and 2010-2012. She is currently a lecturer on the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Design Courses at UNESP and Editor of the journal Educação Gráfica (Bauru) (1414-3895). Leader of the Research Group Linguagens do Espaço e da Forma, certified by CNPq. She has experience in the area of Design, with an emphasis on Graphic Expression, working mainly on the following subjects: design, fashion, graphic expression, drawing, design methodology, African and Afro-Brazilian culture.

Gabriele Justino Sommer, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"

Master's student in the Design Department at UNESP. I work in the areas of Visual Arts and Design, with an emphasis on textile art, photography and watercolor. I have experience in textile art and have published chapters in the books, Textile Poetics: tradition, preservation and re-signification of knowledge and TEXTILE POETICS: investigative and authorial processes of grAVA

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Published

2025-06-01

How to Cite

ZANDONÁ, Clara Damasceno; MENEZES, Marizilda dos Santos; SOMMER, Gabriele Justino. Research and analysis of the works of Alphonse Mucha: Art Nouveau and fashion. Revista de Ensino em Artes, Moda e Design, Florianópolis, v. 9, n. 2, p. 01–29, 2025. DOI: 10.5965/25944630922025e6891. Disponível em: https://revistas.udesc.br/index.php/ensinarmode/article/view/26891. Acesso em: 29 jul. 2025.

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 2 (2025): The appreciation of art and images in contemporary educational, social and cultural contexts: contributions and challenges.

Section

Transversal Openings

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Clara Damasceno Zandoná, Marizilda dos Santos Menezes, Gabriele Justino Sommer

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