Posted 13 years ago
sweets30
(24 items)
Beautiful mirror with a print by Mucha on it. it has initials on it saying
C.S
Y.W.C.A
does anyone know what this means at all??
thanks
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That symbol above the C suggests a Czechoslovak origin and the image has a 70's feel to it.
The triangle and the YWCA is the Young Women's Christian Association logo.
I found reference to the fact that the original poster was published for Mother's Day in 1925. It was meant to promote the YWCA headquarters in the newly formed Czechoslovakia at Zitná St in Prague. It was later re-printed by Amfora Atelier Prague in May 1993.
http://german-ywca.de/history/
Yet another reference gives this:
"This poster was used for fund raising for the Czechoslovak YWCA. . . . The movement came to Czechoslovakia after Alice Masaryk, the daughter of the first Czech president, Thomas Masaryk, became acquainted with its work while she stayed at the YWCA Settlement House in Chicago, where she was attending the University of Chicago during 1918 and 1919. . . . [A] Prague branch of the World YWCA was opened in May 1920 and achieved an enrollment of 500 in its first membership drive. . . . Mucha's poster was a part of the organization's efforts to enroll more members and find the funds to build more homes for girls in the major cities in the country" (Rennert/Weill, p. 356).
I would say that this is a "solved" mystery. Great sleuthing vetraio!
Thanks so much for the info. It's so pretty can't wait to hang it.