Eaux Thermales Sulfureuses, Sodiques, & Arsenicales St. Honore Les Bains Nievre

Rare, possibly unrecorded, broadsheet advertising the baths at St. Honore Les Bains in France.

This dynamic view shows a cluster of buildings in the French commune of St. Honore Les Baines, located in the department of Nievre in central France. The resort town dates back to the Roman era, when Julius Caesar was said to have visited the area during his conquest of Gaul. Roman baths were constructed in the first century C.E. and were in use for nearly 500 years before their abandonment during the Middle Ages. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that the thermal springs were once again opened for public use.

The vibrantly colored lithographed broadsheet was published in Paris by Charles Levy near the end of the century. Oriented with north at the top, the image shows the Hotel Morvan, bathhouse, casino, theater, and ballroom, with the bustling Avenue Jean Marmoz in the foreground. Today’s Google Maps street view shows a surprisingly close representation of the architecture presented. In the background is the heavily forested Morvan Regional Natural Park, with the village of what is possibly Moulins-Engilbert visible nestled in the idyllic French countryside.

The view is scarce, and I’ve been unable to find another example in WorldCat or other online repositories. Charles Levy published a number of lithographs from his studio in Paris during the late 19th century under the ‘Affiches Americaines’ (American Posters) label, but they were more commonly theater productions or reproductions of popular artwork. An artist’s signature in the lower right, P. Bleucher, may provide additional information, but I’ve been unsuccessful in confirming his/her identity.

Source.