Current Affairs Prague's Mucha Museum welcomes its millionth visitor

Victoria Manley, photo: MFDnes, 22.2.07 Czech painter Alphonse Mucha, who was born in 1860 in southern Moravia, is one of the world's most famous exponents of the ornate Art Nouveau style of painting. He is perhaps best known for his popular posters of the famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt.

The Mucha Museum in Prague is the only museum in the world dedicated to the Czech artist. All its exhibits come from the painter's own family and they cover every period of Mucha's life and career. Since the museum opened in 1998, people from all over the world have been flocking to it to see its extensive collection of decorative panels, drawings, oil paintings and personal memorabilia. This week, the Mucha Museum welcomed its millionth visitor - British schoolteacher Victoria Manley, a lifelong fan of Mucha's work who is also very fond of the Prague museum:

"I've been here before. I came in the year 2000 and I thought it was a beautiful museum, small and just like a jewel, and I came to tell my mum about it this year. I've always loved Mucha, I particularly like his floral symbols, and I'm also interested in his work because he's so influential throughout Czech art."

Geraldina Mucha Geraldina Mucha, the Scottish widow of Alphonse Mucha's son Jiri, has lived in Prague for many years and is heavily involved in the Mucha Museum's activities. Her delight at the museum's massive popularity is also tinged with a little sadness:

"I always feel it's such a pity that my husband didn't live to see this museum. It was his dream to have a small museum in the centre of town, and that's what I'm always so sad about that he didn't live to see it. I didn't open until nine years ago. It's quite a good record, isn't it? It's very satisfactory!"

The Mucha Museum is located in the Kaunicky Palace in the very heart of Prague. You can find out more about its exhibits and activities by going to www.mucha.cz