At the end of the 19th century, the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) ranked among the pioneers of the Art Nouveau movement. Virtually overnight, he became famous in Paris thanks to his posters of star actress Sarah Bernhardt. But at the height of his fame, Mucha left Paris to realise his lifetime project The Slav Epic. He worked on the monumental cycle of paintings for 18 years – only to meet fierce criticism upon completion.