{"product_id":"george-of-podebrady-by-alphonse-mucha-1923","title":"George of Poděbrady by Alphonse Mucha, 1923","description":"\u003cp\u003eAlphonse Mucha’s \u003cem\u003eGeorge of Poděbrady\u003c\/em\u003e, completed in 1923, turns a diplomatic confrontation in Prague into a densely orchestrated historical drama. At the centre, the Bohemian king rises in a fur-trimmed robe, his emphatic gesture cutting through the crowded chamber as he rejects a papal demand that he and his kingdom renounce Hussitism. Shocked Roman messengers face an assembly of resolute nobles, while stained-glass windows suffuse the upper part of the scene with amber light. Warm gold, deep red and muted green lend the gathering a ceremonial richness without softening its tension.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMucha is most widely associated with the sinuous posters and decorative designs he created in fin-de-siècle Paris, yet his later career was increasingly devoted to the history and identity of the Czech and wider Slavic peoples. Here, ornament serves narrative rather than advertisement. Patterned garments, architecture and carefully differentiated faces establish the courtly setting, but the composition is driven by a conflict of religious and political authority. King George is presented not in passive majesty but at the instant of refusal: forceful, morally certain and surrounded by a community whose reactions give the event its dramatic scale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA closer look\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe king’s upright figure anchors the central foreground. His pale fur edging and richly coloured robes distinguish him from the surrounding crowd, while the direction of his arm carries the eye towards the papal delegation at the right. One envoy recoils with an expression of surprise, creating a sharp emotional counterpoint to George’s commanding posture. The figures are packed closely together, overlapping in successive layers so that the chamber feels both grand and unusually compressed—as though everyone present has been drawn into the argument.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAcross the left and rear of the composition, Bohemian nobles form a varied chorus of attention, discussion and contemplation. Their costumes introduce passages of purple, blue, russet and green among the dominant reds and golds. Intricate borders, heavy folds and contrasting headwear make individual figures legible within the assembly. Among them are Jan Rokycana, identified by his clerical vestments, and Jan Paleček in a fool’s cap: details that enrich the scene with distinct social and political roles rather than treating the gathering as an anonymous crowd.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eObjects near the lower edge carry much of the work’s quieter narrative weight. Books and documents suggest that this is a dispute conducted through doctrine and diplomacy as well as gesture. Most pointedly, a closed volume marked “Roma” rests prominently in the foreground. Set against the king’s animated stance, its stillness becomes conspicuous, crystallising the division between Roman authority and the Hussite position defended within the room. Above, the glowing stained glass provides a luminous counterbalance to the darker mass of figures below, its patterned colour echoing the elaborate textiles of the court.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eContext and significance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGeorge of Poděbrady ruled Bohemia in the fifteenth century, in the long aftermath of the Hussite movement associated with the reformer Jan Hus. Mucha’s treatment concentrates on the moment when pressure from Rome meets open resistance. Rather than presenting the episode as a remote tableau, he organises it around visible human responses: astonishment among the envoys, pride among the nobles and unwavering resolve in the king. The result is history conceived as a moral confrontation, communicated through bodies, glances and the charged space between opposing groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCreated decades after the posters that established Mucha’s international reputation, \u003cem\u003eGeorge of Poděbrady\u003c\/em\u003e reveals the continuity beneath his changing subjects. His gift for decorative rhythm remains evident in the tiers of faces, sweeping drapery and repeated verticals of architecture, but these elements now support a monumental account of collective memory. The work rewards close attention because its central declaration is surrounded by smaller, more ambiguous reactions: a public act of defiance made vivid through the private expressions of those who witness it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing the right size and finish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArtwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop for advice\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x16in (40x40cm) version of this art print.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee examples of personalised artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChoose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/sepia-aged-maps\"\u003eSee examples of our Aged artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFramed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSelected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/custom-framing\"\u003especialist framing\u003c\/a\u003e are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact our workshop\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"10x10in (25x25cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984535388544,"sku":null,"price":53.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10x10in (25x25cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984535421312,"sku":null,"price":129.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10x10in (25x25cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984535454080,"sku":null,"price":142.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x12in (30x30cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984535486848,"sku":null,"price":53.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x12in (30x30cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984535519616,"sku":null,"price":142.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x12in (30x30cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984535552384,"sku":null,"price":149.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x14in (36x36cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984535585152,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x14in (36x36cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984535617920,"sku":null,"price":176.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x14in (36x36cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984535650688,"sku":null,"price":190.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x16in (40x40cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984535683456,"sku":null,"price":77.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x16in (40x40cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984535716224,"sku":null,"price":176.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x16in (40x40cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984535748992,"sku":null,"price":190.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x18in (45x45cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984535781760,"sku":null,"price":86.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x18in (45x45cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984535814528,"sku":null,"price":203.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x18in (45x45cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984535847296,"sku":null,"price":217.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x24in (60x60cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984535880064,"sku":null,"price":114.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x24in (60x60cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984535912832,"sku":null,"price":298.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x24in (60x60cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984535945600,"sku":null,"price":325.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30x30in (75x75cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984535978368,"sku":null,"price":142.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30x30in (75x75cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984536011136,"sku":null,"price":385.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30x30in (75x75cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984536043904,"sku":null,"price":412.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"36x36in (90x90cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984536076672,"sku":null,"price":149.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"36x36in (90x90cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984536109440,"sku":null,"price":412.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"36x36in (90x90cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984536142208,"sku":null,"price":541.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"45x45in (114x114cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984536174976,"sku":null,"price":338.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"45x45in (114x114cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984536207744,"sku":null,"price":1256.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"45x45in (114x114cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984536240512,"sku":null,"price":1256.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50x50in (127x127cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984536273280,"sku":null,"price":412.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50x50in (127x127cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984536306048,"sku":null,"price":1891.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50x50in (127x127cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984536338816,"sku":null,"price":1756.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"60x60in (150x150cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":59984536371584,"sku":null,"price":763.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"60x60in (150x150cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":59984536404352,"sku":null,"price":2668.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"60x60in (150x150cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":59984536437120,"sku":null,"price":2532.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/0344\/8638\/files\/file_647d9d9f-73df-4618-a0e6-30ead2e07abd.jpg?v=1790541210","url":"https:\/\/uniquemaps.com\/it\/products\/george-of-podebrady-by-alphonse-mucha-1923","provider":"The Unique Maps Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}