STUDIO

Founded in Paris and based in Montréal since 1995, Atelier-Galerie A. Piroir is a fine art printmaking studio specializing in the publishing of artist’s books and the restoration of works on paper, as well as an internationally recognized exhibition space. For more than fifty years, it has worked alongside artists, museums, libraries and collectors in the creation, preservation and dissemination of contemporary prints.

THE TEAM

Alain Piroir, RCA, is a master printer and publisher grounded in the European printmaking tradition. Born in France, he first studied fine arts before training as a printer in Paris. Over a career spanning more than 52 years in Paris, Lyon and Montréal, he has collaborated with many internationally renowned artists, including Jean-Paul Riopelle, Francis Bacon, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Zao Wou-Ki, Roberto Matta, and Robert and Sonia Delaunay.

Recognized for his commitment to knowledge transfer and excellence in the studio, Alain Piroir serves as a mentor, advises museums and is sought out as an expert by universities. His career has been honoured with several distinctions, including the International Saint-Denys-Garneau Prize (2021), which he received jointly in recognition of his lifetime achievement in the field of the artist’s book; the title of Artisan Émérite awarded by the Conseil des métiers d’art du Québec (2022); and his election to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (2022). He was also a finalist for the Charles Biddle Award (2022), the Canadian Crafts Federation’s Robert Jekyll Award (2024), and the Jean-Marie Gauvreau Award (2021 and 2024). His cultural commitment is also reflected in a longstanding partnership with the Biennale internationale d’estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières, where the Atelier-Galerie A. Piroir Prize has been awarded since 2011.

A member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Agathe Piroir is a master printer and publisher of artist’s books and fine art prints, recognized as a leading figure in fine art printmaking in Canada. Alongside her father, Alain Piroir, who founded his studio in Paris in 1975, she is helping to renew contemporary printmaking and advance the art form across the country.

This international reach was notably affirmed in 2025, when Atelier-Galerie A. Piroir was featured at the Centre de la Gravure et de l’Image imprimée in La Louvière, Belgium, as part of the exhibition Des ailes pour l’estampe. The studio was the only North American representative selected for this exhibition devoted to contemporary printmaking studios and presenters.

Trained in intaglio printmaking at the family studio, she furthered her training in France, Québec and the United States, notably at Universal Limited Art Editions (ULAE) in New York. She has collaborated with internationally renowned artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Kiki Smith, while pursuing technical research that combines tradition and innovation.

Her work is held in several prestigious collections. Her artist’s books have been acquired by the University of Toronto and the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, while a number of her prints are part of the collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

A recipient of the Bourse d’honneur from Québec’s Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (2023) and, jointly with her father, a finalist for the Jean-Marie Gauvreau Award (2024), she now leads the International Saint-Denys-Garneau Prize, dedicated to recognizing creators in the field of the artist’s book. She is also director of the Faiseurs d’Images collection, a publishing program she oversees from Montréal that brings together artists and fine bookbinders from Canada and abroad.

Agathe is currently preparing several major projects. The Faiseurs d’Images collection will be presented at the Wittockiana in Brussels in 2027, followed by the American Bookbinders Museum in San Francisco. In 2029, it will also be presented at the Musée du Dessin et de l’Estampe originale in Gravelines, France.

SERVICES

Printing and technical assistance is offered for the following techniques: intaglio, etching, collagraphy, photo etching, linocut, xylography, chine collé and digital printmaking (within mixed media works).  Demonstrations and training can be provided to learn or master specific techniques. A wide selection of paper stock including Japanese papers, rag paper such as Arches, Somerset and Hahnemûhle is available at the workshop as well as a variety of copper, plastic and cardboard plates. 

Do not hesitate to forward any questions you might have and to discuss your printmaking project.  For a quote, please contact us to set up a meeting, as an evaluation cannot be established over the phone.

PRINTMAKING SERVICES

Price per copy for printing and 70 dollars per hour for technical assistance, etching and photo etching services.

DIGITAL SERVICES

Price per copy for scans, printing on acetate and special papers. 55 dollars per hour for image retouching or in-depth digital work.

CONTRACT CONDITIONS

The following conditions apply to all contracts. In handing over a project the client is presumed to understand and accept the conditions of the contract. In case of dissatisfaction, the client must advise us before the signature of the work, all signed works are considered as accepted. All materials given to the workshop are treated with the utmost care, however we will not be held responsible for the deterioration of originals or plates that may occur during the printing process. The client must pick up all work and materials within 30 days, after this delay the workshop will not be held responsible.