The Art of
Bespoke Editions

Commissioning a print — frequently asked questions

How do I commission a custom fine art print?

Send us your high-resolution file (TIFF or JPEG, minimum 300 dpi) via the contact form, along with your specifications: process, size, tonality, finish. Our master printers Tristan Sidem and Raphaël Lebas de Lacour validate the file, recommend a process suited to the subject, and prepare the digital negative calibrated for the studio's UV exposure unit. You approve a proof before the final print is made. Every step takes place at the studio, 1 Passage Dagorno, Paris 20e.

What is the lead time for a custom print?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks depending on the process and size. Cyanotype and gum bichromate take 4 to 6 weeks (sensitisation, exposure, development, drying). Carbon transfer and platinum-palladium take 6 to 8 weeks because of the complexity of pigment transfer and noble-metal calibration. Each print is made by hand, which takes time and attention. You will be updated at each stage by email.

What sizes and papers do you offer?

Four standard sizes are available: Coquille (44 × 56 cm), Jésus (56 × 76 cm), Grand Aigle (76 × 112 cm) and Univers (100 × 140 cm). All our prints are made on 100 % cotton watercolour paper, 640 gsm, satin finish, without optical brighteners. This museum-grade paper absorbs the emulsion in depth — pigment dyes the fibre itself, guaranteeing centuries of archival permanence. Non-standard sizes are available on request.

Is my print signed and numbered?

Yes. Every Maison Picturale print is hand-signed by the master printer and numbered within its limited edition. The number is recorded on the back of the print, alongside the signature, process, size and date of production. For works produced in collaboration with a represented artist (Maxime Riché, Denis Felix, Floresta, Max Ruiz), the double signature artist + printer is applied. The print ships with its official certificate of authenticity.

Do I receive a certificate of authenticity?

Yes. Every commission ships with a certificate of authenticity signed by the studio, listing the process, paper, dimensions, edition, number, date of production and printer's name. This certificate is required by fine art insurers and museum institutions. It also documents provenance for resale or donation. It is printed on watermarked Maison Picturale paper.

How is the print shipped?

Prints ship flat in a rigid tube or wooden crate depending on size. Coquille and Jésus sizes ship in a reinforced rigid tube lined with neutral paper; Grand Aigle and Univers sizes ship in a rigid wooden crate with polyethylene foam and ad valorem insurance. We ship to mainland France, the European Union and internationally via fine-art specialist carriers (Chronopost Premium or DHL Express). On-site installation in Paris is available on request.

Are your prints made with non-toxic chemistry?

Yes, 100 %. Maison Picturale is the only French studio that prints exclusively with the reformulated chemistry developed by our sister brand Vision Picturale. No potassium dichromate (a Group 1 carcinogen per IARC), no petroleum solvent, no ammonia vapour, no mercury or chromium salts. Gum bichromate is printed without dichromate (the Aquaprint process), cyanotype uses non-toxic iron salts, and bromoil uses artisanal Charbonnel inks based on vegetable oil. Our studio at 1 Passage Dagorno operates without CMR vapour extraction — the health of our printers and visitors is preserved, and the prints remain as archivally stable as their historical counterparts.