Description

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Imagerie d’Épinal (Vosges) was originally a printing company founded in 1796 by Jean-Charles Pellerin where the first images of the Epinal series were engraved. The circumstances in the area are ideal for setting up a printing company, there are enough craftsmen, there is enough wood for making paper and the Moselle provides sufficient energy for this.

Initially the techniques are still quite primitive, the first prints are wood engravings that are pressed by hand, after which the colorist colors the work with the help of stencils and a round brush. From 1850 they switch to the lithography technique.

In the first years, the images are mainly about the successes of the Napoleonic regime, but after 1850 people focus more on images for children. Children are then just discovered as potential consumers and the Pellerin and Cie-Pinot printers compete with each other for this market. In the early 20th century, the printing market has matured and the emphasis is increasingly on effective distribution of the printed matter.

After the 2nd World War, the famous company slowly slides towards the abyss, which is reached in 1984 with a bankruptcy. The remains are bought by a group of 50 enthusiasts and the printing company is nowadays operated as a museum.