Child’s Play. Alsace and the origins of children’s illustration (19th – 20th centuries

As part of UNESCO’s proclamation of Strasbourg as World Book Capital, the Cabinet des Estampes et des Dessins and the Crédit Mutuel Alsatic Library are providing a unique insight into the development of children's book illustration in Alsace from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century.

Whilst Alsace has played an important role in the history of the book, it is also the only region in France to have coined a term designating a form of publication linked to its culture and history: Alsatic. Both a noun and an adjective, it more precisely describes a literary or scientific document with a strong link to Alsace through its content or the actors involved in the book chain.
This study focuses more specifically on the publishing context and the actors in the book chain in the field of children's literature, the enfantina. This is a type of publishing that developed both in Alsace and elsewhere in France, particularly in Paris. Actors of Alsatian origin, or with a strong link with Alsace, have been identified. These protagonists include printer-lithographers, publishers, illustrators, and engravers.

This project is therefore located at the confluence of children’s illustration and the Alsatic.
The temporal framework of the exhibition lends pride of place to the heritage dimension of this type of publishing. The period thus ranges from the 19th century to the early 20th century. The intensification of the use of images in publications after 1800 marks the opening of this field of study. We have placed the chronological limit of our exploration at the time of the emergence of a new generation of illustrators thanks to the creation of the illustration workshop at the École des arts décoratifs (now HEAR) in Strasbourg by Claude Lapointe in 1972.

Curators: Florian Siffer, Curator of the Cabinet des Estampes et des Dessins, Christine Esch, Director of the Crédit Mutuel Alsatic Library

In addition, “No Books for Children. Enfantillages chapter 2” is being presented at the Tomi Ungerer Museum - International Centre for Illustration, from 22 November 2024 to 2 March 2025.

This exhibition has been produced in partnership with the Crédit Mutuel Alsatic Library and benefits from the exceptional support of Strasbourg Eurometropolis.
Part of Strasbourg UNESCO World Book Capital 2024