Jean Picard (bookbinder)
Jean Picard | |
|---|---|
| Born | France |
| Occupation(s) | Bookbinder, bookseller |
| Years active | 1540s |
| Known for | Bookbindings for Jean Grolier, use of geometric patterns (entrelacs géométriques) |
Jean Picard was a French craftsman specializing in bookbinding during the 1540s, recognized for his use of geometric patterns and for creating bindings for the renowned collector Jean Grolier.
While Grolier's bindings have been highly valued over time, the identities of the artisans responsible were largely lost until research in the twentieth century brought figures like Picard to light. The British Library credits Picard with several bindings, primarily those produced for Grolier around 1540 in Paris. A more extensive assortment is preserved at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. It is also possible that Picard was employed at the French royal bindery, which operated under the reign of Francis I.
Picard and the Aldine Press
A significant portion of the books Picard bound for Grolier were editions from the Aldine Press, a Venetian publisher established in 1494, known for classical texts. Following Aldus Manutius's death in 1515, his descendants maintained the press’s operations.
During the 1540s, Picard seems to have been involved with the Aldine Press’s Parisian branch, handling book sales on a commission basis. Despite challenges from unauthorized copies, France remained an important market. Although it is not definitively proven that the bookseller and binder were the same individual, evidence strongly suggests this connection.
Picard’s shop displayed the dolphin and anchor, emblematic of Aldine, and was situated on Rue Saint-Jacques within Paris’s Latin Quarter, a central location for book commerce. In 1547, financial troubles forced Picard to evade his creditors. Subsequently, the Aldine Press appointed printer Le Riche as their agent; he was later succeeded by Gomar Estienne, a bookbinder affiliated with the royal Atelier de Fontainebleau. Estienne reportedly acquired some of Picard’s binding tools during this transition.
Picard designs
Picard is associated with a decorative approach known as entrelacs géométriques, favored by Grolier, characterized by interwoven strapwork or ribbon-like designs. He also executed work in various other stylistic forms.
External links
- British Library – Search for "Jean Picard" to view images and catalog records of over fifteen bindings attributed to him.