Jacques Martin (1844 - 1919) - Vase of flowers

Oil on panel. 46 x 55 cm. Signed lower right.

After studying at the Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Jacques Martin became manager of the Coignet factory, specialized in concrete production. Around 1878, he took a self-taught interest in painting and set up a studio on the premises of his factory. Lyon painter François Vernay (1821-1896) encouraged and advised him. By 1881, he was exhibiting his work at salons in Lyon and Paris.

Jacques Martin's style is characterized by the use of a generous paste, flamboyant colors and the vibrancy of light in his compositions. Color blends are skilfully employed; the painter places secondary colors or intermediate tones alongside pure color, creating a harmonious melody of color.