Sophie Théodose is our Artisan of the Month!

Sophie Théodose is an illuminator and a 2022 laureate of the Fondation Rémy Cointreau. For two decades, she has been bringing exceptional creations to life in her workshop with passion. This new episode of “Artisan of the Month” features her story, shared with candour and honesty.

The Trade

Illumination is a centuries-old craft with a rich heritage that goes back well beyond the Middle Ages. This is defined as “decorating a manuscript or picture book with painted decorations”. While decorated capital letters, ancient books, religious scenes and the Middle Ages are often associated with this art form, this vision remains reductive. Today, illumination thrives in a variety of fields, driven by the desire to create beauty, to highlight a subject and to embellish the world around us, as Sophie Théodose explains. In her workshop, she perpetuates the tradition of working with parchment, a material used since the Middle Ages, which she then sublimates using natural pigments and gold leaf.

The Gesture

Illumination is an art that requires incredible patience and concentration.  In Sophie’s atelier, a strict control of hygrometry is essential to optimise the reaction of the parchment. She adjusts the ventilation in her workshop, soaking up its unique atmosphere. Every gesture is precise and confident; there’s no room for hesitation or trial and error: “When it’s in your head, it’s in your hands”, as Sophie says.

The Transmission

Currently there is no professional training school for illumination in France. So, the know-how is passed on through courses offered by associations or professionals. For the illuminator, transmission can be summed up in one word: necessary. She looks for motivation in her apprentices, prioritising a practical approach where you learn by doing.

History is an important link between Sophie‘s expertise and the Fondation Rémy Cointreau. Strengthened by this link, the Foundation has supported the craftswoman in the acquisition of a made-to-measure workbench, designed to optimise the storage of her parchments and adapt perfectly to her working methods.