"A Colorful Crowd, Yugoslavia" 
Jacques Martin-Ferrières (1893-1972)
Circa 1930s
Oil on panel
17 1/8 x 13 3/4 (frame) inches
 
A painter remarkable for his highly personal portraits and landscape views, Jacques Martin-Ferrières was the son of the great post-Impressionist painter Henri Martin (1860-1943). He studied with his father and became known as a master at reproducing the scintillating effects of light on canvas. Despite his father's influence, Jac developed a technique that was uniquely his own where paint was applied in swift and short brushstrokes of opaque color, at times overlapping and at times separated, producing a mosaic-like surface.
 
Martin-Ferrières’s education was very thorough. At an early age, he began studying piano and remained a fervent musician for his entire life often finding respite in his music after a long day in the studio. Additionally, Jac also played organ as well as cello.
 
At a similarly youthful age, Martin- Ferrières began drawing and painting while commencing his studies of literature and the sciences. Jac eventually received his degree in science and his knowledge of chemistry proved useful as he applied it to his painting techniques.
 
In 1926 Jac had his first solo exhibition at La Galerie Georges Petit in Paris. In 1927, he exhibited at the Salon the portrait of the fantastic singer Dranem which is today at the Dranem Foundation in Ris-Orangis In 1928, he received the Gold Medal at the Salon for "the Market in Assisi" being acquired by the City of Paris for the Petit Palais Museum, 1928-1932, he created the monumental wax paintings in Saint Christophe de Javel in Paris which comprises 11 panels of 9m by 5m and a panel of 11 meters by 10 meters. From 1930-1939 he executed monumental works in the churches of Marseille (Saint Louis), Montauban, Saint Ouen, Clichy. 1934 is the year he wins the Hector Lefuel Prize for this ensemble from the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1937 Jac received the Gold Medal at the Exhibition International of "Arts and Techniques applied to Modern Life" which is held in Paris as well as winning the gold medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1939, in addition to a retrospective in Paris which included more than 150 pieces. 
 
Throughout his career, Martin-Ferrières travels and exhibits extensively from Norway, Russia and Sweden to Turkey and Yugoslavia to the United States and beyond.  
 
He was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1937 and in 1956, was made an Officer of the Legion of Honor. A retrospective of his work in 1965 was another confirmation of his revered status.