Mucha La Trappistine Museum Desk Paperweight – Art Nouveau Glass Dome 3W

Museum Desk Paperweight with Mucha’s La Trappistine

This elegant museum desk paperweight features a detail from Alphonse Mucha’s 1897 advertising poster for the liqueur La Trappistine. Beneath the smooth glass dome, a serene young woman with long flowing hair and a lavish floral headpiece gazes downward, framed by ornate Art Nouveau patterns and radiant halo-like bands. The focus is on her beauty, jewelry, and blossoms, making this a striking miniature of Belle Époque style.

In the original color lithograph, the woman stands beside a bottle of La Trappistine on a table. For this paperweight, the design centers on her face and intricate halo, highlighting Mucha’s talent for decorative line and delicate color. The curved dome gently magnifies the details, turning this Mucha paperweight into a glowing accent for any desk, vanity, or bookshelf.

• Glass dome glass dome paperweight with Mucha’s La Trappistine image.
• Features floral headpiece, flowing hair, and ornate Art Nouveau border.
• Measures approx. 3 in W × 3 in L × 1.5 in H; weight about 0.9 lbs.
• Presented in an elegant presentation box with sateen lining.
• Part of the Parastone Museum Gift Collection. PN PMUC1.

Alphonse Mucha and the Belle Époque

Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939) became one of the defining artists of the Belle Époque in Paris. As a young man he left Moravia for Vienna, working as an apprentice draughtsman in a studio that designed theater scenery. His talent was recognized by Count Karl Khuen-Belasi, who supported his studies at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Munich and later in Paris.

In Paris, Mucha supported himself by drawing illustrations for magazines and advertisements. This “side work” became his breakthrough. His posters for theaters, perfumes, and liqueurs—like La Trappistine—combined graceful female figures, flowing hair, floral motifs, and decorative halos. These images made him one of the most sought-after illustrators of the era and a central figure in Art Nouveau.

Art Nouveau Elegance on Your Desk

Mucha’s style is instantly recognizable: long sinuous lines, rich borders, stylized blossoms, and a gentle, dreamy expression on the central figure. This museum desk paperweight brings that world of Parisian posters into everyday life. It adds a touch of Belle Époque glamour to a home office, studio, dressing table, or reading nook.

The design pairs beautifully with jewelry, floral décor, and other Art Nouveau–inspired pieces, making it a thoughtful gift for lovers of vintage style, illustration, and historic advertising art.

Pair with Other Art Nouveau Gifts

Create a small Belle Époque corner by combining this paperweight with other Art Nouveau pieces from our collection.

• Explore more works by Mucha and related artists: Klimt & Mucha Art Nouveau Collection

Curator’s Note

Mucha believed that everyday objects—from posters to packaging—could be works of art. This museum desk paperweight continues that idea, transforming a small desk accessory into a glowing portrait of Belle Époque elegance and Art Nouveau design.