Louis Jou was born in Barcelona in Spain on May 29, 1881. He became a painter at the age of 16, a period of great enthusiasm when he dreamed of becoming a successful artist in Paris.

In 1906, Louis Jou left for France to join his friend Joseph Civil, an organist. He met Apollinaire and Francis Carco. At a time when jobs were scarce and poorly paid he survived through selling drawings. In 1908 he met FranÁois Bernouard, a poet, printer and publisher with whom he founded "La Belle Edition" where he asserted his talent as a typographer, engraver and brilliant typesetter. He frequented the likes of Derain and Picasso and obtained orders from Cocteau's high-class revue "SchÈhÈrazade". In 1921 he met the writer AndrÈ SuarËs - it was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. His dream had come true and he brought his own letterpress from Spain.

In 1939 he left Paris and found refuge in Les Baux where he restored the house he had acquired in 1921, the splendid Renaissance Jean de Brion mansion. Alone in his workshop, he composed some of his loveliest works known as Les Livres de Louis Jou: Les 24 sonnets by Louise LabbÈ, Adolphe by Benjamin Constant, La Danse Macabre, les Bucoliques Baussenques, le Cantique des Cantiques.

Alone and ailing he executed his last great work at the age of 85: 192 pages printed on his hand press. Exhausted, he died on January 2, 1968 and is buried in the cemetery of Les Baux.

A passionate artist, Louis Jou left important works in the great tradition of calligraphers, typographers and printers. The durability and circulation of his work are assured by the Fondation Louis Jou, founded by his friends with the backing of AndrÈ Malraux.

This important cultural heritage is preserved in the HÙtel de Brion, once his workshop and house and today a museum where his works are exhibited alongside those of Goya, D¸rer and Rembrandt.