Henri Martin French, 1860-1943

Born in Toulouse, France, Henri Martin known for his Neo-Impressionist landscape paintings. Beginning in 1877, at age seventeen, he began studying art at the École supérieure des beaux-arts de Toulouse under Jules Garipuy and Henry-Eugéne Delacroix, and later in Paris under Jean-Paul Laurens. His first solo exhibition came at the age of twenty-six, three years after medaling for the first time at the Paris Salon. Martin would them move to Italy where he was heavily influenced by the Quattrocento painter Masaccio and the late middle ages architect Giotto. Italy’s landscape and architecture would ultimately influence Martin equally.

Martin won the gold medal at the Salon of 1898, the same year he entered the Legion of Honor The following year he won the Grand Prize at the World fair. Martin exhibited widely throughout his career, achieved the highest awards, and received numerous commissions. In 1895 he painted a mural for Paris’ City Hall and another for the Capitol in Toulouse about ten year later. 

Martin later chose the seclusion of the country, purchasing a mansion overlooking the Labastide-du-Vert in France. Inspired by the environment surrounding the property his painting flourished producing some of his best work. Martin remined in the mansion until his death in 1943.