A rare bronze sculpture by Czech Art Nouveau master Alphonse mucha achieved a record-breaking sale Saturday in Prague, signaling continued strength in the market for the artist’s work [[1]]. The piece, titled “Plastika Příroda” (La Nature), sold for 18.35 million Czech crowns (approximately $815,000 USD) at an auction held by Galerie Brušková & Knill, exceeding previous prices for Mucha sculptures sold within the country. The auction also featured works by other prominent Czech artists, reflecting robust collector interest in the region’s artistic heritage.
A bronze sculpture by Czech Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha sold for 18.35 million Czech crowns (approximately $815,000 USD) at a Prague auction Saturday, setting a new record for the artist’s work sold within the country.
The piece, titled “Plastika Příroda” (La Nature), dates back to 1900 and is crafted from patinated bronze and malachite, measuring 70 centimeters in height. It originally was commissioned for Parisian goldsmith Georges Fouquet.
“The mysterious female profile with closed eyes embodies a pagan goddess, an esoteric secret, and a symbol of the spiral evolution of humanity,” according to the auction house. The sculpture is considered a synthesis of the major artistic and spiritual currents that Mucha represented at the turn of the 20th century.
The sale underscores the continued international demand for works by Mucha, a key figure in the Art Nouveau movement.
The second-highest price at the auction went to Jakub Schikaneder’s painting “Noční tramvaj” (Night Tram), which sold for 16.6 million Czech crowns, including auction premiums.
In total, 168 pieces of Czech and European fine art were offered at the auction, with collectors spending over 107 million Czech crowns. Eighty-eight percent of the offered items were sold.
A charitable “Brick Auction” to support people with mental disabilities also took place during the event, raising 226,000 Czech crowns.
