HENRI GANIER-TANCONVILLE (1845-1936) & H. GRAY (1858-1924)
VICHY. Circa 1898.
41x28½ inches, 104¼x72½ cm. Courmont Frères, Paris. Condition A-: minor creases and abrasions in margins and image; slight time-staining at edges.
Located in Auvergne, Vichy was the largest and most prestigious French spa. Its mineral waters were considered curative for a host of maladies, and "treatment" was sought there by members of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie. Of the many posters promoting travel to the spa, this rare image by Tanconville is one of the most elegant. The fashionable tender scene in the central square of the main spa is bathed in sunlight, and Tanconville plays delicately with the shadows to add a further level of charm and delight.
