Originally designed for a calendar for Mucha's printer Champenois, it became one of the artist's most frequently reprinted pictures. Framed against Mucha's oft-repeated elaborate circular backgrounds, this beautiful woman, dressed in an elegantly embodied gown, is pursuing a book of, what appears to be, decorative patterns. Somewhat unique to Mucha's work, the floral background is both ornate and much larger in scale in terms of its relation to both the maiden and the size of the picture. Alphonse Maria Mucha, (24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), was a Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist, best known for his distinct style and his images of women. He produced many paintings, illustrations, advertisements, and designs.