Vernet-Les-Bains. Pyrénées-orientales 1886

Editor: So, this poster, "Vernet-Les-Bains. Pyrénées-orientales," created by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen in 1886... I’m immediately struck by the contrast between the lively foreground figures and the serene, almost dreamlike, landscape behind them. What catches your eye when you look at this? Curator: It's a curious dance, isn’t it? The solid figures, grounded in a very real tourist gaze, are juxtaposed with this shimmering, almost ethereal vista of the Pyrenees. It feels like a yearning, a visual poem about the promise of escape that these "eaux sulfureuses sodiques"—sulfurous soda waters—and mountain views offered the late 19th-century traveler. Does it spark a memory, perhaps a daydream, of your own escapes? Editor: That idea of escape is powerful. I guess I was so focused on the sort of Art Nouveau elements of the poster—the lettering, the figures—that I missed some of the nuance. Curator: Absolutely! Notice how Steinlen masterfully blends Impressionistic landscape techniques with the emerging Art Nouveau style. The vaporous mountains practically vibrate with light. Think about how travel posters worked back then—they were these miniature portals. Are we simply selling a destination or a whole mood, a complete sensorial experience? Editor: It definitely feels like it’s selling more than just a location. It's selling leisure, health… an experience, exactly! I suppose I’d written off posters as commercial, but there’s something genuinely evocative about this one. Curator: That’s the beautiful paradox, isn’t it? Even within commercial art, the artist's soul finds a way to breathe. So, tell me, are you ready to pack your bags for Vernet-Les-Bains? Editor: Almost! I think I appreciate the thought that went into enticing travellers and, honestly, me.