Vichy is a French commune located in the south-east of Allier in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Built on the banks of the Allier river, the edge of the plain of Limagne and the mountain bourbonnaise, the city of Vichy was an important spa in the second half of the 19th century.During the Second World War, the city was chosen by Philippe Pétain to house the Government of the French State. This was due to the city’s free zone situation, its great capacity to host large hotels and its modern telecommunications equipment. This authoritarian regime set up in France in 1940 was called by metonymy "Vichy regime.” Vichy was relieved of this occupation only after the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1944 during the liberation of France (Wikipedia). This Vichy poster, commissioned by PLM and painted by Louis Tauzin (1845 - 1914) is a beautiful demonstration of Tauzin’s impressionistic style and utilization of light and composition. The incandescent light radiating from the windows of the Vichy casino is both an impressive mark of artistry and as well as a warming visual invitation to this destination. The elegantly dressed people in the image convey a sense of charm and sophistication. PLM was a French railway company that began between 1858 and 1862. The PLM (Compagnie des Chemins de fer de Paris a Lyon et a la Mediterranee) operated chiefly in the south-east of France, with main transit lines connected to Paris and Cote d’Azur through Dijon, Lyon and Marseille. (Wikipedia). Louis Tauzin (1842–1915) was a French painter and student of the School of Fine Arts in Bordeaux. Most known for his land and seascapes, Tauzin falls in line with other prominent landscape painters at the time. Tauzin was head of one of the most important chromolithography houses in Paris, Champenois, where he held the position of Head of the Draftsmen workshop. Between 1900 and 1910, Tauzin painted a series of watercolors for water towns including Vichy that were used as models for postcards and travel posters. The artist had a plentiful illustration career, as he produced multiple posters and postcards, covers for Paris – Revue and cartoons for French periodical L’enfant. This is an original vintage poster. It is not a reproduction. This poster is conservation mounted, linen backed, and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.

24 x 38.75 in