Tour of the Atelier

Atelier du Livre d’art et de l’Estampe / IN Groupe

Heir to a centuries old tradition, the Imprimerie Nationale’s (IN Groupe) Atelier du Livre d’art et de l’Estampe moved out of Paris in 2014 to the Imprimerie Nationale’s premises in Flers-en-Escrebieux, near Douai. Since then, the Atelier du Livre as well as the Imprimerie Nationale’s historic collections, including the 35,000 volumes in its historic library and some 700,000 engraved items, the oldest of which date from the mid 16th century, have been together in one place.

The Atelier occupies an area of 2,500 square metres, specifically devoted to the production of artist’s books and works for bibliophiles. It is one of last typographic production lines in the world still in operation. It is for this reason that all the specialist trades involved in making books by the most traditional methods are to be found here. The people who work in this studio are often the last who posses skills and knowledge that the Imprimerie Nationale’s strategy is to preserve and pass on, not only for their heritage value but also to ensure that the Atelier continues to be a living production studio. The following trades are links in this typographic production line:

• Type designer
• Punch cutter
• Type founder
• Typesetter
• Printer/typographer
• Copperplate engraver/printer

The Atelier is opened to artists or amateurs who would like to make small editions using the resources and expertise of the Atelier (typesetting and printing, proofing, illustrations engraved on copperplate engraving, on wood block or lino cut) in collaboration with the craftsmen who work there. This one week workshop assumes that participants will arrive with a text already written and illustrations already created.