Projet de décoration pour une salle des bains de l'établissement thermal du Mont-Dore (Puy-de-Dôme)

Faïencerie de Sarreguemines
Projet de décoration pour une salle des bains de l'établissement thermal du Mont-Dore (Puy-de-Dôme)
vers 1905
aquarelle et mine graphite
H. 54,0 ; L. 73,0 cm.
Achat en vente publique, 1988
© Musée d’Orsay, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Patrice Schmidt
Faïencerie de Sarreguemines

The Mont-Dore spa dates back to Roman antiquity. A major extension was completed between 1890 and 1893 by the architect Emile Camut, which brought him great prestige (Prix Duc and First Class Medal at the 1893 Salon).
The watercolour drawings, unsigned, show us the designs for decorating the rooms and their bathing cubicles.
The walls are covered with ceramic tiles decorated with floral motifs or plain colours. The colour scheme evokes freshness; it is reminiscent of the decorations in the first class cubicles in Vichy (1903). The general style is Art Nouveau.
A wide, iron and glass roof over the bathing room floods the decor with light. There is a series of rounded arches along the walls, while wooden doors give access to the bathing cubicles, of which there are 21 on the plan.

Artwork not currently exhibited in the museum
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