A free perspective on objects, materials, use and time.
The Story Behind Printemps Tardif
Printemps Tardif is the new chapter in a story written by two. The story of Arnaud-Pierre and Didier, whose perspectives have been shaped over the years by travel, encounters and experience. The name itself is a nod to a cinema that inspires them, where objects, forms, interiors and gestures can sometimes tell as much as the characters themselves.
Their journey began in Paris, in publishing and graphic design, but also in the energy of a vibrant and inspiring nightlife and artistic scene. It continued in Reykjavík, where they lived for nearly ten years, interspersed with several stays in Asia. Far from the noise and the obvious, these years in the Far North fostered a different way of looking at the world and at objects. Iceland, its shifting ground and landscapes shaped by natural forces, cultivated a close attention to material and transformation. Travels in Asia brought another perspective, shaped by the richness of materials, the subtlety of decoration and the diversity of craftsmanship. From these sometimes contrasting influences emerged a particular sensitivity to form, material and objects, naturally reflected today in ceramics and the arts of fire.
Back in France, their roots found their place again. Limoges porcelain, familiar yet sometimes overlooked, prized for its fineness and remarkable for its strength, is being rediscovered today. It sits alongside contemporary ceramics, objects from elsewhere, vintage glassware and pieces whose presence sparks curiosity. Printemps Tardif is particularly drawn to objects at the intersection of art, industry and craftsmanship, where production meets the precision of a gesture, the mastery of a skill or the singularity of human intervention.
Printemps Tardif is shaped by this dialogue between different periods, materials and cultures: between heritage and creation, art and industry, memory and use, here and elsewhere. A selection conceived as a collection, built over time through discoveries, affinities and encounters.
Chosen Objects
The most beautiful objects are often those that move through time with grace, knowing how to disappear before resurfacing, revealing their story and finding their way back into the rituals of everyday life.
The selected pieces are sourced through finds or directly from manufacturers, whether from old stock, end-of-line collections or factory seconds. Others are created by contemporary makers — ceramists, artists and craftspeople, both established and emerging. Each is chosen for the quality of its craftsmanship, its lines and its ability to sit naturally within both contemporary and more traditional interiors, while becoming part, over time, of the memories of those who use it.
... Made Present
Objects from different origins and periods come together, united by the same standards of craftsmanship and quality. A piece of porcelain from the 1930s can sit alongside contemporary stoneware; a 1950s engraved glass can find its place naturally on a minimalist table.
Incomplete dinner services, limited editions, overlooked pieces and beautifully made objects that have escaped the effects of fashion hold a particular appeal.
Some pieces can also evolve with use. A soup tureen can become a fruit bowl, a creamer a small vase. What matters is not so much their original purpose as the way they can find a place in everyday life.
Time as an Ally
At Printemps Tardif, objects are chosen for what they are and what they evoke, beyond their period or rarity. What brings them together lies elsewhere: careful craftsmanship, quality materials, considered lines, and the pleasure of looking at them, combining them and using them.
Choosing an object that is already in circulation is a way of extending its story. It gives it a new place rather than adding another object to the world — a way of favouring what already exists, without giving up pleasure or elegance.
Pieces are selected in a condition that allows them to be fully enjoyed and used. Some bear discreet traces of time, without losing what makes them special: the rightness of their proportions, the quality of their materials and the care taken in their making.
Printemps Tardif champions objects to keep, display, use and eventually pass on. Objects that do not seek to belong to a particular era, but to find their place in ours.