NATHALIE PARAIN

Nathalie Parain . The first monograph devoted to Nathalie Parain is finally published. This great artist has decisively marked the history of children's books. Trained in the Russian avant-garde school, she emigrated to France with her husband, Brice Parain. Then began a long and fruitful collaboration with Paul Faucher for the Père Castor albums, after a work published by the NRF. This book traces the milestones in the creation of these exceptional books. Interviews between Michèle Cochet and her daughter, Tatiana Mailliard-Parain, bring their genesis to life and are illustrated with previously unpublished documents. Michel Defourny explores the themes and innovative artistic practices of the first Père Castor albums and an article by Claude-Anne Parmegiani, originally published in La Revue des livres pour enfants, accompanies the originals of Contes du chat perché , still preserved by the artist's family. MeMo Editions and the Friends of Père Castor association have reissued ten of the books illustrated by Nathalie Parain. First drafts and versions that were not retained: it was necessary to retrace the context of the creation of these works to grasp their importance in the history of art. This monograph shows and helps us understand how Nathalie Parain's lasting influence has been on the creation of children's books.