About the Artist
Aime-Felix Nicollerat was a late 19th-century poster artist whose career flourished as color lithography revolutionized public advertising. Artists like Nicollerat played a key role in shaping the modern travel poster, merging striking visuals with clear, engaging typography. His work bridged the gap between fine art and commercial illustration, making destinations alluring while providing essential information for travelers.
This era saw Swiss resort towns like Bex gain prominence, with artists and designers elevating their image through sophisticated graphic design that captured the spirit of health, leisure, and refinement.
The Artwork
Produced in 1896, this poster for the Bex Brine Baths reflects the golden age of European spa tourism, when mineral-rich waters and mountain air were promoted as both curative and fashionable. Bex, renowned for its salt springs and therapeutic baths, became a symbol of rejuvenation and modern wellness. The poster served as a visual invitation, enticing viewers to experience the restorative journey offered by the Swiss Alps.
As with many vintage advertising posters, this piece transforms a destination into an aspirational experience, embodying the optimism and elegance of turn-of-the-century resort culture.
Style & Characteristics
The scene is anchored by a graceful stone bridge arching over a lively river, with dramatic mountain peaks rising in the background. The composition uses broad, simplified forms and crisp outlines, hallmarks of lithographic technique that ensure clarity from a distance. Bold, integrated lettering reinforces the poster's graphic identity, seamlessly blending text and image.
The color palette features cool blues and greens for the river and landscape, contrasted with warm orange accents and defined by strong black linework. This combination creates a refreshing, invigorating mood, ideal for spa-themed wall art and landscape wall art enthusiasts.
In Interior Design
This Swiss travel art print is well-suited to living rooms, hallways, or wellness spaces, where its alpine imagery brings a sense of calm and vitality. It pairs beautifully with natural materials like light wood, stone, and linen, and looks striking in minimalist frames that highlight its bold design.
To create a harmonious interior, echo the poster's river blues with ceramics or glass, and introduce alpine greens through plants. It also complements blue-toned prints, offering a timeless, vintage-inspired narrative for any space.
