A PIONEER IN THE FINE ARTS INDUSTRY
Born in 1720 from the friendship between the apothecary Charles Laclef and the painter Jean-Siméon Chardin, Lefranc Bourgeois has never lost its heritage as a founding brand of the Fine Arts industry. It was in 1880 that Lefranc Bourgeois gave birth to its anchor and caduceus logo, as it is known today. The choice of logo, the trademark of Lefranc Bourgeois, is no accident: the sea anchor symbolises stability, and the caduceus refers to the attribute of the god Hermes, protector of commerce. The spirit of exploration and curiosity has enabled the brand to establish itself as a pioneer since the Impressionist period, thanks to the development of the screw cap that enabled painting in the open air. Lefranc Bourgeois has also been a pioneer in the creation of unique, non-hazardous colours such as titanium white, madder lacquer, the iconic Flashe, the world's first vinyl paint, and cadmium-free yellows and reds.
SUPPORT ARTISTS
Lefranc Bourgeois has always been keen to work hand-in-hand with painters. By listening to their ideas and needs, the brand has been able to work with many great artists, including Dufy, Picasso, Matisse, Dubuffet and Vasarely. The great painters and artists of the 18th and 19th centuries used Lefranc Bourgeois colours, including Corot, Delacroix, Millet, Courbet, Foujita, Cézanne, Monet and Gauguin. These collaborations were often the source of innovations in the development of formulas. In the Lefranc Bourgeois archive collection, for example, we find letters commissioned by Picasso, who loved cobalt blue. Matisse wrote letters of thanks for the creation of a LINEL violet, which was indispensable to him for his blues and reds.
Right: portrait of Alexandre Lefranc by the painter Jean-François Millet, 1849
ART FOR EVERYONE
‘Every child is an artist’. Pablo Picasso
From generation to generation, Lefranc Bourgeois is committed to passing on the love of painting to budding artists. Who among us hasn't known the box of gouache with the easily recognisable blue and white logo, slipped into the schoolbag on back-to-school day? As early as 1867, Lefranc Bourgeois specifically designed non-hazardous paints in the form of gum and syrup-based colour tablets for use in schools. Then in 1966, it developed a range dedicated to children to offer quality materials to budding artists of all ages. Lefranc Bourgeois puts the emphasis on teaching: primary colours for mixing, ergonomic shapes adapted to the smallest hands and playful booklets to guide artistic creativity, step by step.
FROM CHILDREN TO STUDENTS
Patrons of the Beaux-Arts de Paris since 2012 Lefranc Bourgeois supports art students through workshops, lectures and exhibitions.Committed to teaching and transmission, Lefranc Bourgeois gives its name to 2 galleries of this prestigious institution.In 2022, it revives its grand prize for painting, which was suspended in 1968, revealing the masters of tomorrow.Lefranc Bourgeois also organises artists' residencies. Students are selected to take part in these breeding grounds for creativity.
MAKING A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT
Lefranc Bourgeois is committed to producing sustainable, waste-free paints, favouring plastic-free materials.Building on its heritage of innovation, it applies new packaging alternatives such as the use of metal for watercolour tins. Lefranc Bourgeois has always been an innovator in the production of colours that are healthier for the environment. As early as 1867, Lefranc Bourgeois proposed so-called ‘non-hazardous’ colours based on gum arabic. In 1922, it replaced silver white, whose pigments were composed of a toxic metal, with titanium white, which had better coverage and luminosity.it was the very first brand to design cadmium-free colours in 2017, to offer painters an eco-responsible, non-toxic alternative to this traditional pigment made from a heavy metal, and then it developed the first cadmium-free gouaches in 2020.
LEFRANC BOURGEOIS IS A B CORP BRAND
Lefranc Bourgeois is proud to announce its B-Corp certification, which recognizes its commitment to serving the artistic community through responsible and sustainable business practices, the well-being of its employees, and its positive impact on the environment.B-Corp certification is a rigorous assessment of a company's social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
