Alain Bestin

Engraver

©Marie Laure Crespin

Leaving a mark

Alain engraves on precious metal, mother-of-pearl and ivory
His engravings can reach a very miniature size
He developed his skills working in Parisian workshops

Alain Bestin is an engraver based in Rouen; he masters the ancient technique of hand engraving with burin. Through all types of calligraphy and drawings, he records exquisitely life events on precious metal objects, giving them an intimate value. During his childhood, Alain showed a great gift for the discipline of drawing. He soon moved to Paris, where he gained his artistic experience in successive apprenticeships. He acquired the techniques he uses today when working in the atelier of a master engraver and goldsmith. Alain opened his atelier in 1985, where he continues to write stories for his clients: “By means of a drawing or words we manage to materialize their thoughts through engraving".

Interview

©Marie Laure Crespin

©Marie Laure Crespin

What is your source of inspiration?: My customers. They ask me for advice when they want to have an intimate object engraved. If it's a name, I suggest different styles of calligraphy. If it's a drawing, I translate their wish into a sketch. We continue to work together until the result meets their expectations.
Do you remember the first object you made?: A great accomplishment I was very proud of; it was an engraved scene depicting wild horses galloping across the plains of the American West. This drawing was engraved on the brass plaque of a Winchester.
What makes an engraving well made?: It is not always about good technical execution; it is the attainment of a state of serenity. It is when you know that you have managed to convey the customer’s emotion through the engraving.
How does tradition and innovation manifest in your work?: Tradition continues through the ancestral tools used for engraving, which are in themselves museum pieces, and through the objects being engraved , which are often antiques. Innovation can be seen in the contemporary design of the engraving.

Alain Bestin is an : he began his career in 2000