Nice – Thermal, Berthemont-les-Bains Poster by Emmanuel Bellini (c. 1950s)

Description

Nice – Thermal, Berthemont-les-Bains Poster by Emmanuel Bellini (c. 1950s)

The Nice – Thermal, Berthemont-les-Bains poster by Emmanuel Bellini presents the Côte d’Azur as both landscape and sensation—sun, color, and restorative calm distilled into a single image. A nude female figure stands at the water’s edge, glass in hand, embodying leisure and therapeutic escape. Behind her, Nice unfolds in luminous, expressive strokes. The poster promotes the region’s thermal spa culture with a distinctly painterly, modern touch.

Overview
Created in the 1950s and printed by Robaudy in Cannes, this poster advertises the thermal baths of Berthemont-les-Bains near Nice. Bellini approaches the subject less as commercial design and more as a vivid composition, merging fine art sensibility with tourism messaging. The result is both evocative and immediate—positioning the spa experience within the broader allure of the Riviera.

Visual Composition
Bellini constructs the scene through bold, gestural color rather than line. The standing figure, rendered in warm reds and pinks, anchors the foreground while remaining fluid and unidealized. Surrounding her, the landscape breaks into expressive patches: greens suggesting trees, yellows and blues articulating architecture and coastline. The curvature of the terrace and the simplified harbor below guide the eye into depth without strict perspective. The figure’s relaxed pose—wine glass raised, feet at the water—creates a quiet narrative of indulgence and ease. The composition reads as spontaneous yet controlled, balancing figuration with abstraction.

Context & Provenance
This poster belongs to a postwar wave of French tourism promotion that emphasized experience over itinerary. Berthemont-les-Bains, known for its thermal treatments, is positioned here not as a clinical destination but as an extension of Riviera lifestyle. Emmanuel Bellini’s authorship is evident in the painterly handling and signed lithographic plate, aligning the work with mid-century artistic travel posters that blurred boundaries between advertising and studio practice.

Condition
Grade: A (linen-backed)
Professionally conservation mounted on linen. Colors remain vibrant with a clean presentation and no notable visual interruptions. Ready for framing.

Specifications

• Artist: Emmanuel Bellini
• Title: Nice – Thermal, Berthemont-les-Bains
• Printer: Robaudy, Cannes (Côte d’Azur, Nice)
• Date: c. 1950s
• Format: Large vertical French travel poster
• Original lithograph
• Linen-backed: Yes
• Condition: A

Authenticity
This is an original lithograph vintage poster, not a reproduction. A Certificate of Authenticity is included.

Framing
Linen-backed and structurally sound, suitable for immediate framing. A restrained frame will allow the color field and composition to remain dominant.

Purchase & Shipping
Ships securely packaged, fully insured, and tracked for transit.

Collector Notes
Bellini’s travel posters stand apart for their painterly execution, appealing to collectors who value crossover between fine art and commercial print. Thermal spa subjects are less common than coastal or transport themes, adding distinction within Riviera material.