The Seasons

The Seasons,
Colour lithograph, 1896

In 1896, Mucha began his series of decorative panels with the theme of the four seasons and it remained one of the most popular. In depicting this classic theme from ‘High Art’, Mucha personified the seasons as nymph-like women in a series of four panels. Each one captures the mood of the season—innocent Spring, sultry Summer, fruitful Autumn and frosty Winter—against a corresponding seasonal landscape, as a whole together they represent the harmonious cycle of nature. The great success of this series led to many variants, including the design incorporating all four panels into a single ornamental frame, as seen here.