(the funky lines are from the watermark and will not appear on the print)
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Alphonse Mucha's Le Laurier (Laurel), 1901
Le Laurier (Laurel), 1901 by Alphonse Mucha. Original piece: color lithograph, 53 x 39.5 cm (20.9" x 15.6"). Please see my recommendations below for best printing choices.About this work: Like its companion piece Le Lierre (Ivy), the wonderful trompe l'oeil effect gives this piece an earthy, garden feel and a tactile appeal. You want to actually reach out and feel the texture of the tile mosaics. The Arts and Crafts Movement influence is stronger and the palette more restrained in these two pieces than in Mucha's other works, yet that lyrical Mucha magic is as potent as ever.
Sizes and resolutions available:Professionally restored and prepared for print. Available in all sizes except colossal. The color is set to print true to the original, but may not be the exact same color you see on your monitor. Different monitors are calibrated differently and therefore will show colors slightly differently. The numbers don't lie, however, and that is why I set the colors by the numbers -- it's the print that counts, not what you or I see on our monitors!
I cannot be responsible for any changes you may make to the image, such as changing the ratio, pulling it out of kilter with the drag tool, adding type, altering colors, cropping, etc.
The smaller the print, the higher the resolution. This will print at ultra-high to very high resolution if you choose the portfolio or small size, high resolution if you choose the large size, and medium resolution if you choose the huge size. Keep in mind that the higher the resolution, the higher the quality of the print.
A word about image restoration: I don't believe in "enhancing" the work of an artist, but rather restoring it to its original beauty. Alphonse Mucha was a true artistic genius. (Sometimes, working closely with images of his work, a new insight into his genius takes my breath away and I have to just sit there for a moment, blown away.) Who am I to ruin his work by "enhancing" the colors or messing with the contrast?
True, I may have to adjust the image slightly in various ways so it will print well using modern digital printing methods, but my aim is always to be true to the original work of art.
I likewise try to retain the charming patina of vintage artworks while cleaning up stray pencil marks, fly specks, correcting for any distortions from the scanner or camera, etc. That lovely patina is part of what what makes the vintage pieces so charming in the first place. I can (and usually do) spend many hours on a image before I consider it pixel-perfect and ready for print. But I don't make it quite pixel-perfect -- I leave in underpainting the artist allowed to show through, slight misprints (if the work was printed) or grease crayon smears (they happen in lithography!) that are not distracting, and sometimes subtle foxing or yellowing at the edges, etc.
For this particular print, my goal was to make it look like you could afford one of the best of the original lighographs, even if you're not one of the lucky few who can. That's why I left in a touch of grease crayon smear here and there, and a few subtle marks of age.
If you're after a slick 21st-century vectored look , this print is not for you. If you adore Alphonse Mucha's work and want to own an affordable print as close to an original as this graphic artist can make it, I think you'll be very pleased.
My recommendations for media choices: You can put this on canvas if you like, but the original was NOT on canvas of course. I wouldn't use the canvas option myself. If you want a high quality print rather than a poster, I recommend choosing matte over glossy for this work. There's a sandy feel to the tile borders you can't really see in the preview, and this will translate much better if you choose one of the matte options.
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