Henri Thiriat (22 November 1843 – 9 April 1926)[1][2] was a French engraver who carried out a large part of his activity at L'Illustration.

L'Illustration of 24 April 1926 devotes an obituary article to him, reporting that “he was one of this galaxy of artists who each week, with a news document, created an original work”.

[4] Married to Élisabeth Verpy, he had a son, Paul Henri Thiriat [fr] (1868-1943), who first exercised the same profession of wood engraver, before becoming a painter and illustrator.

[5] For almost twenty years, between 1880 and 1900, he provided the press with images, and researched reproduction techniques that would lead to photo-engraving.

On 25 July 1891, L'Illustration published La garde-barrière on its front page, which is considered to be one of the first uses of photography in the press.