Peinture en lettres & lithographie : un siècle de modèles pour les peintres

On the occasion of the release of the book “La peinture en lettres, Histoire & Renouveau” (L’échappée, 2026), the author paints a portrait of this little-known craft and its connection to the history of printing in France.

Sign painting originated at the turn of the first industrial revolution, at the crossroads of house painting and decorative painting. Painted signs, shop decorations, gold leaf lettering on storefronts, advertisements on gables, and vehicle lettering are produced by sign painters.

Journals aimed at painters shaped the aesthetics and techniques of the trade starting in 1834. Lithographs were printed by the thousands to inspire them. Today, they stand as magnificent witnesses to the richness of sign painting.

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The speaker

Morgane Côme is a sign painter based in Brittany. She designs and produces painted lettering for independent businesses, local authorities, and associations. Since 2017, she has shared her expertise through workshops. Driven by the history of her craft, she has been conducting original research on sign painting since 2023. She is the author of “La peinture en lettres, Histoire & Renouveau” (L’échappée, 2026), as well as the introduction to the book “Lettres Décoratives. A Century of French Sign Painters’ Alphabets” (Letterform Archive, 2026).

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In partnership with L’Echappée, independent publishing house of social criticism | Les Éditions L’échappée