scan 151 Alphonse Maria Mucha

This is a striking Art Nouveau poster, likely a magazine cover for Cocorico from December 1898. The dominant colors are shades of blue and white, creating a clean, stylized aesthetic.

What I see:

At the center is a portrait of a woman looking upwards and slightly to the left, with a contemplative or perhaps hopeful expression. Her hair is elaborately styled and cascades around her head, framed by a large, circular motif resembling a stylized crescent moon or a halo, adorned with concentric circles. She wears a dark, high-necked garment with a ruffled collar that accentuates her delicate features. Her hands are in the foreground, delicately handling what appears to be a piece of fabric or lace.

To the right of the woman, a stylized rooster, Cocorico, is prominently featured. Its rendered in a lighter blue, with flowing lines for its tail feathers that echo the curves in the background and the womans hair. The roosters presence is both decorative and symbolic, as it is also the name of the publication.

The background is filled with abstract circular patterns in various shades of blue and white, adding to the overall decorative and ornamental quality of the artwork. The typography at the top announces the publication details: 1ère Année. Nº 1. 31 Décembre 1898. COCORICO. and Prix: 30 centimes. At the bottom, there is information about the director and the editorial and administration address.

Subtexts:

• Symbolism of Cocorico: The rooster is a national symbol of France, often associated with pride, vitality, and awakening. Its prominent placement on the cover of Cocorico suggests a bold, perhaps patriotic or culturally significant publication.
• Nostalgia and Elegance: The Art Nouveau style, with its flowing lines, organic forms, and elegant portrayal of the woman, evokes a sense of refined beauty and possibly a subtle nod to nostalgia or a bygone era.
• Feminine Ideal: The woman is depicted with delicate features and graceful hands, embodying a certain feminine ideal prevalent in the Art Nouveau period – graceful, perhaps artistic, and admired.
• The Moon and Celestial Motifs: The circular adornment around the womans head suggests a connection to celestial bodies or perhaps an idealized, almost ethereal representation of beauty. The concentric circles in the background could also signify cycles, harmony, or simply decorative elements that enhance the overall aesthetic.
• Fashion and Decadence: The fashionable attire of the woman, particularly the ruffled collar, and her focus on delicate fabrics, hint at the cultural context of late 19th-century Paris, with its emphasis on fashion, artistry, and perhaps a touch of the decadent.
• The Act of Creation/Presentation: The womans hands engaged with the fabric could symbolize not only her engagement with fashion or textiles but also perhaps the act of creation or the presentation of something beautiful, mirroring the art of the poster itself.