The special exhibition Timeless Mucha celebrates the visionary graphic work of Czech artist Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939), whose elegant figures and whiplash lines came to define the Art Nouveau movement and transformed visual culture around the world.
Featuring more than 100 works from the Mucha Trust Collection, this exhibition traces Mucha’s rise from a struggling artist in Paris to an international sensation – and explores the enduring influence of his imagery across illustration, design, and pop culture.
Don’t miss the companion exhibition, Mucha’s Muses: Sarah Bernhardt and the Spirit of Art Nouveau.
His magic line
At the heart of Mucha’s art is his distinctive use of line: bold and sinuous whiplashes that form flowing hair, ornate borders, and radiant halos. Timeless Mucha invites us to trace these revolutionary compositions and learn the visual language that inspired generations of artists.
Birth of a modern style
Mucha’s breakthrough came when he was commissioned to design posters for actress Sarah Bernhard. Floral and florid, these distinctive poster designs fused the modern with the mythic and invented a new kind of celebrity image.
Mucha’s advertisements solidified his signature style – elongated forms, ornamental detail, a sense of quiet grandeur – and typified Art Nouveau’s most recognizable expression.
Pop culture poster child
Mucha’s line reached beyond Art Nouveau. Decades later, his visual language resurfaced in unexpected places: the swirling psychedelia of the 1960s, the expressive dynamism of Japanese manga, even the bold storytelling of American comics.
Timeless Mucha follows the artist’s enduring legacy among artists and designers – and within our collective imaginations.
Shop Timeless Mucha gifts
Browse Museum Store picks inspired by the exhibition
To learn more about Alphonse Mucha and Art Nouveau, see the Spencer Art Reference Library’s research guide.
Upcoming programs
Gallery views
Members see special exhibitions for free
Members keep general admission free – and enjoy complimentary parking, free special exhibition tickets, and more.
Visit the Info Desk in Bloch Lobby to ask about rolling the price of your exhibition ticket into the cost of a new membership.
Organized by the Mucha Foundation, Prague, in collaboration with The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. In Kansas City, generous support provided by: Paul DeBruce and Linda Woodsmall-DeBruce, Evelyn Craft Belger and Richard Belger, Neil Karbank and Gretchen Calhoun, Shirley and Barnett Helzberg Jr., Bill and Sara Morgan, the G. Kenneth and Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund, Nancy and Rick Green, Don Hall Jr., JE Dunn Construction, Hallmark Cards, Inc., the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts – Commerce Bank, Trustee, the Campbell/Calvin Fund for Exhibitions, and the Henry & Marion Bloch Foundation Fund.
