Tribute to French stencil – “A year in the French style” by Vincent Farelly and Jean-Baptiste Martin
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Tribute to French stencil – “A year in the French style” by Vincent Farelly and Jean-Baptiste Martin



Dear readers, back in year 2017, I have written a blog about the French artisan paper and printing house, Antoinette Poisson, and subsequently, it led to my visit to their atelier boutique during summer in the same year, which located near Place de la Bastille in the 11th arrondissement, having my personal experience to see their workshop, the tools and machines that creates those beautiful, intricate and vintage looking prints, textile and home furnishing products, of course, my thrill of that day was to meet Co-founders, Mr. Jean-Baptiste Martin and Mr. Vincent Farelly, and having a brief chat with them about their work and creations, which it was one of the best day I had during that trip. Now fast forward to now after the pandemic, and yet didn’t able to make my next trip to Paris for the time being, a great news just came across me as I just realized that this French artisan paper maison has recently released a new book, titled “A year in the French style – interiors & entertaining by Antoinette Poisson”, it truly delights me especially it arrives at the beginning of the new year!


©Ruth Ribeaucourt, from A Year in the French Style, Flammarion



©Ruth Ribeaucourt, from A Year in the French Style, Flammarion


Published by Flammarion (distributed by Rizzoli through Penguin Random House) and written by both Jean-Baptiste and Vincent, the Co-founders and art directors of Antoinnette Poisson, this book captured the adventures and daily past-time that inspires their work, from antiquing and shopping at the local market, to some handwork activities such as paper making and textile dying, with beautiful photos which taken by lifestyle photographer, Ms. Ruth Ribeaucourt, taking readers to immerse into the world of Antoniette Poisson with their finished product and stylish settings.


©Ruth Ribeaucourt, from A Year in the French Style, Flammarion


©Ruth Ribeaucourt, from A Year in the French Style, Flammarion


Besides, through these beautiful images, which enables one to understand the artistry, the hand work of the original stencil making, and the effort that put behind it to create these quintessential French work-of-art, it also shows how these beautiful stencils can apply into one’s everyday living, making their home much tasteful and quintessentially French when assembling with the nostalgic vintage or antique collectibles altogether in one’s living space, to manifest one’s unique taste and their art of living.


©Ruth Ribeaucourt, from A Year in the French Style, Flammarion


©Ruth Ribeaucourt, from A Year in the French Style, Flammarion


Although I was not personally situated in these rooms inside this book which decorated with the stencil art by Antoinette Poisson, yet, it did bring back a lot of great memories when I was visiting their atelier workshop in Paris, the same kind of feeling as I went through these pages, its authenticity, the unpretentious, harmonious and nostalgic French elegance themed in ‘flora and fauna’ motifs, its intangible beauty derives from their homage to the ancient stencil printing technique, the essence and savoir-faire of handwork, and the Founders’ unshakable dedication to make such legacy flourishes, which giving this book something very intimate and heartfelt for its reader to appreciate the art of French stencil printing.


Hope this book will be inspiring to you especially at the beginning of the new year, wish you all a healthy, prosperous and stylish year of 2024.


©Ruth Ribeaucourt, from A Year in the French Style, Flammarion


Image courtesy of Flammarion / Rizzoli USA.



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