Jacques Martin-Ferrières (1902–1984) was a French painter celebrated for his luminous landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. As the son of Henri Martin, a leading Post-Impressionist, he inherited a passion for light and color but forged his own path with a distinctive technique. His works are characterized by short, swift brushstrokes of opaque color, often layered or separated to reveal an underlying pale ground, creating a mosaic-like surface rich in texture and depth. This method imbued his paintings with a shimmering vibrancy that set him apart from his contemporaries.
Martin-Ferrières trained under his father and Frederic Cormon, blending the Post-Impressionist emphasis on light with academic precision. His talent was widely recognized: he received honorable mention at the Salon in 1920, a silver medal in 1923, the National Prize in 1925, and a Gold Medal along with the Legay-Lebrun Prize in 1928. A regular exhibitor at the Salon des Artistes Français, he became a respected figure in the French art scene.
During World War II, Martin-Ferrières joined the French Resistance and was captured, losing an eye as a prisoner of war. Despite this setback, he resumed painting in the 1950s, mastering impasto techniques to convey the interplay of light on snow and landscapes. A landmark Paris exhibition in 1965 highlighted these works, while a retrospective that same year confirmed his enduring influence.
Martin-Ferrières' work reflects a dedication to innovation within the tradition of French painting, blending light, texture, and emotion into a lasting artistic legacy.