Nouveau Bleu celebrates the innovation of Alphonse Muchas work and his particular shades of blue.

At the turn of the 19thcentury, the artist Alphonse Mucha was at the height of his career. A fine artist, whose name is now synonymous with the art nouveau style, the Czech Mucha came from an background in illustration and became widely and commercially well-known through his advertisements for everything from chocolate to cigarettes to laundry detergent. Living in Paris, Mucha was also celebrated for his idealized female figures that were often based on Parisian film stars and glitterati. His work included his years studying, drawing, and painting film actress and icon, Sarah Bernhardt. His portraits of her were printed as large-scale posters heralding his commercial work which took advantage of new advances in printing.

In 1887, the invention of celluloid film paved the way for Mucha to become the first artist to work directly from photography. Thus, his color palette was often the rich, warm, pastel tones of photographs and he used these hues to create the famous Mucha women with flowing hair that matched the flourish of his gorgeous lettering and typefaces.

Within this range of color emerges a signatureeau de nilblue that Mucha used to clothe the women in lush drapery, illuminate the skies behind them, give them wings, and surround them with waves of water.

The Estie Nouveau Bleu celebrates the innovation of Muchas work and his particular shades of blue which have been blended into the material of this pen that reflects the celluloid in the pen-making of the past.

Specifications:

• Material: Turned acrylic construction
• Trim: Gold
• Length: 150 mm / 5.9 inches (capped) | 171 mm / 6.7 inches (posted)
• Diameter: 14 mm / 0.6 inches
• Weight: 33 gr / 1 oz
• Cap: Screw-on; cushion closure
  • Postable: Yes
• Included: Esterbrook gift box; 1 year manufacturer warranty