Victor Prouté, 1917
1876
Victor Prouté opens a small second-hand shop and bookshop at 220 rue Saint-Jacques, offering views of Paris and a few books.
The son of Étienne Prouté (1806–1859), he was first apprenticed to a watchmaker before helping his mother in her workshop hand-colouring prints.
Rue de Rennes.
1883
Victor Prouté leaves the antiques trade to become a bookseller at 96 rue de Rennes.
Drypoint, 1900
1885
It is here that he meets Anatole France, with whom he maintains a sincere and lasting friendship.
Paul Prouté by Abraham Krol. Drypoint, 1950.
1887
Birth of his son Paul at this address, with a portfolio case as a cradle!
The shopfront at 12 rue de Seine, 1907
1895
The business moves to 12 rue de Seine, near the Institut. Victor Prouté gives up the booktrade and turns to dealing in old prints and drawings.
Paul Prouté in his shop, 1913
1900
Beginning of Paul Prouté’s apprenticeship with his father as a print dealer, at the age of thirteen.
Victor Prouté, 1917
1918
Death of Victor Prouté.
74 rue de Seine; on the right, the Marché Saint-Germain
Fin janvier 1920
Paul Prouté opens his shop at its current location, 74 rue de Seine, close to the Senate and the Jardin du Luxembourg. He benefits from a privileged position in the historic and cultural heart of Paris.
1921
Beginning of the regular publication of catalogues of prints and drawings.
Hubert Prouté, 1923
1922
Birth of Hubert Prouté.
Mr and Mrs Atherton Curtis by Anders Zorn.
Etching, 1906
1933-1935
The gallery is spared the Great Depression thanks to the financial and personal support of Atherton Curtis, a major American print collector.
1940
Hubert Prouté and his brother Guy (born in 1921) begin working with their father, a collaboration soon interrupted by the war and the brothers’ departure to Germany in 1943 under the Compulsory Labour Service.
1961
Resumption of the regular publication of catalogues of prints and drawings, after the interruption caused by the Second World War.
1966
Guy Prouté founds his own publishing house for contemporary original prints, Antarès.
Hubert and Michèle Prouté, Sylvie Tocci Prouté and Annie Martinez Prouté © Studio Sébert
1973
Hubert Prouté takes over the gallery, assisted by his wife Michèle, and joined in 1980 by their twin daughters, Sylvie and Annie. With Hubert, Michèle Prouté steps up the purchase of Old Master drawings, developing in particular a taste for Italian schools. Together they broaden their circle of collectors, both private and institutional.
1978
Publication of the catalogue Centenaire, in three parts: Estampes (I), Dessins (II) and Fonds Nicolas Mignard (III).
1979
Publication of the catalogue Quatre cents images populaires françaises. Quelques images parisiennes du XVIe siècle dites de la rue Montorgueil.
1980
Self-published release of Paul Prouté’s memoirs,
Un vieux marchand de gravures raconte… (“An old print dealer tells his story…”).
Paul Prouté, 1963
1981
Death of Paul Prouté.
1988
First participation in the Biennale des Antiquaires at the Grand Palais in Paris. Publication of the catalogue Révolution (prints).
1989
Publication of the catalogue Pont-Aven (Dessins. Estampes. Livres. Programmes – Autour de Pont-Aven, des symbolistes et des Nabis, 1885–1915).
1991
First edition of the Salon du Dessin, an event that attracts art-market professionals, experts, dealers, private collectors, museum curators and connoisseurs. The gallery is one of the founding members and has participated every year without exception.
Sylvie Tocci and Annie Martinez © Julien Martinez Leclerc
1992
Sylvie Tocci Prouté and Annie Martinez Prouté take over the family gallery.
Both hold Master’s degrees in art history from the Sorbonne – Sylvie with a dissertation on the Lesueur family, wood engravers in the 18th century, and Annie with a dissertation on engraved theses in the 17th century – and had long been working together on the printed œuvre of Charles Jacque (1813–1894). They extend the gallery’s reach abroad, as demonstrated by their first participation in the New York Print Fair at the Armory in 1995, which becomes an annual event. They strengthen ties with institutions, museums and foundations. The gallery turns towards contemporary creation, which today represents a very significant part of its holdings. This year also sees the publication of the catalogue Jacques Callot (prints), followed by Robert Nanteuil (prints).
1999
Publication of the catalogue Honoré Daumier (lithographs).
2002
First participation in the Salon international de l’estampe in Paris.
The current façade © Studio Sébert
De 2008 à 2009
Major interior and exterior renovation work at the gallery.
2014
Publication of the catalogue Architecture et Ornement, the result of more than thirty years of acquisitions, in collaboration with Peter Fuhring. The catalogue presents one hundred outstanding drawings from the 16th to the 19th century.
2015
Publication of the catalogue Louis XIV, featuring numerous engraved portraits, historical scenes and period views of Paris and Versailles.
2016
Publication of the gallery’s 150th "small" catalogue (outside the Salons), devoted to the drawn and printed œuvre of Marcellin Desboutin.
2020
Publication of the catalogue Portrait d’artiste, one of the gallery’s favourite themes. The catalogue presents five hundred prints from the 16th to the 21st century, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Paul Prouté’s move to 74 rue de Seine.
2021
Publication of the catalogue L’Univers de l’artiste. From the 16th to the 21st century, printmakers offer their vision of the artist in the studio and outdoors, of the atmosphere of Salons, and of the world of printers, collectors and enthusiasts.
