The Fund, established through a series of acquisitions made by AIAP, presents the publishing work of a number of important French graphic designers, ranging from Pierre Faucheux to Robert Massin, Jacques Darche and Jacques Daniel.
More specifically, it hosts books from the Club Français du Livre and the Club du Meilleur Livre produced in the 1950s and 1960s. The Fund also includes two of Eugène Ionesco’s masterpieces designed by Massin: “La Cantatrice Chauve” (Gallimard, 1964) and “Délire à deux” (Gallimard, 1964).
Archival Accompanying Tools
Partial filing
French Book Club Fund
French Book Club
In France, at the end of World War I, publishing models emerged that were very similar to others that had already been on the international scene for some time, combined with the idea of mail order, such as the American Book of the Month Club (1926), or the Guilde du Livre in Lausanne (1936).
The Club du Livre and the Club du Meilleur Livre were two of the most prolific examples in the dozen or so “book clubs” that emerged after World War II.
These publishing groups, conceived to revive French publishing, changed the concept of modern publishing design forever, and were also established thanks to the work of such outstanding intellectuals, editors, and graphic designers as Pierre Faucheux (1924-1999) and Robert Massin (1925-2020).
The Club du Livre and the Club du Meilleur Livre were two of the most prolific examples in the dozen or so “book clubs” that emerged after World War II.
These publishing groups, conceived to revive French publishing, changed the concept of modern publishing design forever, and were also established thanks to the work of such outstanding intellectuals, editors, and graphic designers as Pierre Faucheux (1924-1999) and Robert Massin (1925-2020).
Visit the Archive
The Graphic Design Library and Archive can only be accessed by appointment and a temporary membership. When making an enquiry, it is advisable to state the reason for the consultation in as much detail as possible: greater clarity will enable us to provide the best possible service to students and researchers and to prepare the materials accordingly.