Children need to be constantly stimulated in order to develop and grow. Art is a universal means of expression and allows them to become aware of the world around them! This back-to-school season, Artsper met with Colombine de Forville in her apartment, or rather her gallery, Les Petits Collectionneurs. She is devoted to encounters between art and childhood, and creates the most enchanting prints; real works of art that both young and old can keep for a long time. Artsper invites you to meet this founder, and to discover an interior that looks like paradise for little ones.

Artsper: You come from a family of artists and collectors, how did this lead you to publishing works of art?


Colombine: As the granddaughter and daughter of art book publishers, artists and printers, I had the chance to immerse myself in the artistic universe since I was little. Now I want to pass this cultural experience on to my children, to arouse their interest in pictures, help them develop an artistic sensibility and share their emotions.

So I went to find talented artists and we worked together to create images that were suitable for children. Because nothing is too beautiful for them, I have these illustrations printed in the family printing press, most of them on period machines (lithography), for an incomparable result. These unique works are published in limited edition, with around 50 copies to ensure their rarity and value.

Artsper: How important is the aspect of made-in-France craftsmanship to you in your work?

Colombine: It is primarily for the sake of guaranteeing the quality of our products that we collaborate with one of the ten last lithography workshops in France, which prints artists of international renown.

By promoting privileged channels for the qualitative diffusion of our works, we bring value to our products and consequently to our brand, and we value French artisanal craftsmanship and heritage.

Artsper: How did you come up with the idea of bringing art into children's rooms?

Colombine: Four years ago, I created the art publishing gallery Les Petits Collectionneurs, with the idea that children could be introduced to graphic arts from a very young age. Because I'm convinced that it is never too early to begin loving art, I set my heart on offering adapted graphic works made by talented artists. They add a creative and decorative touch to kids' bedroom walls! And the child is rewarded by being offered a rare, beautifully crafted object that they can appreciate and keep over time.

Artsper: Children have a lot of imagination, do your children have a role to play in Les Petits Collectionneurs?

Colombine: Today, my children are the driving force behind the development of my company: through their huge curiosity for the Petits Collectionneurs paintings hung by the hundreds here at home, they confirm daily that these images play a very important role in their imagination.

Artsper: Animals seem to be one of the preferred subjects of the Petits Collectionneurs; is that a personal choice, or the choice of the artists you collaborate with?

Colombine: Absolutely, the Petits Collectionneurs catalogue is a real zoo-graphy because I wanted to make my children happy; they are passionate about animals and I don't think they're the only ones...

Artsper: Living in Paris, do you like to go to Parisian art institutions with your children?

Colombine: I take great pleasure in retracing the steps of my childhood with my children, going to the “Egyptiens" at the Louvre, the Grand galerie de l'évolution and the Musée Jacquemart André…

There's such a variety here in Paris; and we take advantage of it as much as we can! 

I prefer institutions which organise plastic art workshops around their exhibitions, so as to introduce my children to art by having fun (Arts décoratifs de Paris, Foundation Cartier, Centre Pompidou, Palais de Tokyo, Musée Jacquemart André, Musée de la Chasse et de la nature etc.).

And because we are passionate about illustration and graphic art, we like to wander around 104, Artazart, Musée de la Poche, La Reguliére, Artyfamily etc.

I would like to give my son three days of work experience at the Drawing Lab (an art centre dedicated to drawing) workshops, to introduce him to etching. Training for lithography will take more time, and will be at home in our Uzétien workshops.

Artsper: Finally, what advice would you give to other parents wanting to introduce their children to art from a young age?

Colombine: Visual (or auditory) perception is the first stage of any aesthetic experience; so I think it's important to protect them from a world saturated with images that are meaningless to them. More specifically, not flicking through but instead paying attention to each adapted image in order to decipher its meaning. To discover a beautiful illustrated album is to learn that an image can have several meanings; to acquire an art print is to learn to appreciate the sensual dimension of an image (thanks to the quality of the technique, paper medium and care taken).