Joan Oliva i Milà (Sant Pere de Ribes, Garraf 1858 - Vilanova i la Geltrú 1911) started out as an apprentice printer. Later on he went to further his training in Paris, where he worked at Motteroz, and in London. In 1899 he set up his own printshop, Impremta Oliva, in Vilanova i la Geltrú, and it became an important company in its field as a result of the artistic and technical standard of its publications. One of Joan's sons, Víctor, was the artistic director, while his other son, Demetri, looked after the financial side of the business. In 1902 this press produced one of the best Modernista works, Boires baixes (Low Mists), a poem by J.M. Roviralta, illustrated by L. Bonnín. In 1907 it published the Anuari Oliva (Oliva Annual), a compilation of all the works it had printed until that time containing the most outstanding works of the Modernista period.

In 1915 Joan's sons took over the running of the business completely and moved the printshop to Barcelona (Casanova, 169), changing the name of the business to Institut Gràfic Oliva de Vilanova.