Sarah Bernhardt - Les Maitre de l'Affiche - 1895

For Mucha, proponent of Art Nouveau, woman was a subject of reverence, even worship, and nowhere did he express it more eloquently than in his first poster for the immortal actress Sarah Bernhardt. 'Gismonda' was a biblical period piece whose Palm Sunday procession in the third act allowed Mucha to clothe the actress in a gown of Byzantine opulence and to give her a wonderful expression. (Reference: Gold, p.107)