FOUNDING HOUSE OF FINE ARTS SINCE 1720
The story of Lefranc Bourgeois, a founding brand of fine arts since 1720, begins in Paris, near the banks of the Seine. Charles Laclef, ancestor of the Lefranc family and apothecary by trade, met the painter Jean-Siméon Chardin, one of the greatest French and European painters of the 18th century, and embarked on the production of colors.
THE TRADITIONAL GRINDING OF PIGMENTS
Indeed, the painter's studio was located above the shop, on the top floor. His apartment, with its glass roof, being too small for him to grind his pigments, he naturally turned to the shop downstairs to have them prepared. The two men quickly became friends, and a close bond developed. The painter entrusted Charles Laclef with grinding his pigments and soon began teaching him the art of color production. On the shelves of his small Parisian shop, pigments, like nourishment for the soul, sat alongside spices.
OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF VERSAILLES
Between passion and heritage, this apprenticeship proved a true success for him, as in 1753, the passionate chemist, Charles Laclef, officially became the supplier of paints for the Palace of Versailles. Louis XV reinstated the palace's administration in 1722, renovated the Petit Trianon, and enhanced the gardens. Thanks to its reputation and expertise, the Lefranc company thus entered history by contributing to these historic decorations that would bring worldwide renown to Versailles.
THE ARTIST AT THE HEART OF THE RELATIONSHIP
A unique bond between artists and the Lefranc Bourgeois company contributes to an endless artistic dynamism.
Since 1720, Lefranc Bourgeois has been authentically, passionately, and rigorously committed to supporting artists and innovating to showcase their creativity, as evidenced by this portrait of Alexandre Lefranc, descendant of Charles Laclef and director of the company, drawn in black pencil on paper in 1849 by Jean-François Millet.
From Chardin to Millet, by way of Monet, Cézanne, then Matisse, Dufy, Dubuffet, Braque and Vasarely, Niki de Saint Phalle, JonOne, and Olivier Masmonteil, the Lefranc Bourgeois company, with its strong academic foundation, has embraced modernity, dedicated to exploring new possibilities in terms of color, texture, and technology, and integrating educational, environmental, and societal considerations.
A MAJOR INNOVATION
The major 19th-century painting movement, Impressionism, was on the verge of emerging when Alexandre Lefranc developed the first tube with a screw-top cap. Until then, painters stored their paints in… pig bladders! Once punctured, the paint inside only lasted a short time. Moreover, they were impractical to transport. Thanks to this innovative cap, artists could now take their materials outside their studios and paint outdoors. This innovation enabled the rise of the Impressionist movement!
THE HISTORY OF COLORS LEFRANC BOURGEOIS
There is much more to a color than a simple pigment. There are stories. The story of the color that painted the ceiling of the Palace of Versailles, the story of the tube that allowed it to breathe, the story of a mixture that created movement, or the story of the color that created the world's largest painting... Through their stories, all Lefranc Bourgeois colors are unique and fascinating!
The sublime colors that Lefranc Bourgeois has been producing for over 300 years were initially of natural origin, meaning they were extracted from natural materials such as lead, ochre, carmine, or sulfur. The pigments were then extracted, ground, and sold in powder form. The professions of apothecary and pigment maker were quite distinct at that time. As early as 1720, Charles Laclef began producing colors through his partnership with the painter Jean-Siméon Chardin. From this starting point begins a true epic of color, Lefranc Bourgeois having always been a pioneer in the research and development of shades with unparalleled pigmentary richness, its greatest strength even today.
TITANIUM WHITE
The main characteristic of naturally derived pigments is that most of them tend to be toxic. Thus, 18th-century color producers had access to certain dangerous products that had to be harnessed. Gradually, safe alternatives were found, offering colors suitable for intensive use without health risks.
From the 18th century onward, we see the creation of shades obtained from synthetic pigments such as zinc white and silver white, which were superseded in 1922 by titanium white, a non-hazardous and more opaque pigment.
THE YELLOW OF NAPLES
Known to the Egyptians, this opaque, bright yellow pigment acquired its name in 16th-century Italy. This absolute color was developed using mineral pigments from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. In a letter written to Alexandre Lefranc in 1874, the painter Jean-François Millet expressed his appreciation for the qualities of Lefranc's Naples Yellow. According to him, it was the yellow with the greatest clarity and the greatest potential for lightening! He wrote, "I have finally rediscovered my beautiful Naples Yellow, which is nothing like all those other toilet-grade Naples Yellows I've been using for some time."
Today, Lefranc Bourgeois offers artists a cadmium-free yellow.
At the end of the 19th century, Lefranc exported its colours throughout Europe! From Naples yellow, so appreciated by Millet, to sapphire blue, from cadmium red to cobalt blue, so dear to Picasso, or even to fixed violet, adored by Matisse… the collection grew ever richer.