Biography of Étienne Martin

Martin relocated to Paris in 1934, where he worked at Charles Malfray’s workshop at the Académie Ranson and got to know painters like Jean Le Moal, Alfred Manessier, Roger Bissière, Zelman, Jean Bertholle, Véra Pagava, and François Stahly.
Martin joined a group known as Témoignage. Paris hosted their performances in 1938 and 1939. Martin specialized in plaster and wood.
He was employed by the Printemps retail establishment’s Primavera workshop. advancing to become René Prou’s partner and the head of an office. Martin attended a number of private and public commissions in Belgium and France; he worked on ships and collaborated with René Prou to enhance the League of Nations Council Chamber.
From 1938 until 1945, Etienne Martin served as the creative director of the Studium Louver, the avant-garde workshop of the Grands Magasins du Louver. The company produced designs for the growing number of customers in need of modern upgrade styles. Michel Mortier, the joined Studium-Louver in 1944 as a designer. Etienne Martin was awarded the Blumenthal Prize.
Étienne was a prisoner in Germany during World War II and was released in 1941. Along with Stahly and Zelman, he traveled to Oppède in 1942. Later, in 1943–1944, Martin traveled to Dieulefit, Drôme, where he met the author, Henri-Pierre Roché. He relocated to Normandy’s Mortagne-au-Perche.
When Martin began the Demeures (Dwellings) series in 1954, he became well-known.

In 1966

He was awarded the prestigious mold prize at the 33rd Venice Biennale. From 1968 to 1983, Martin worked as a teacher and head of the model division at the École Nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The Académie des beaux-expressions elected him in 1971.
Martin eventually found himself employed by the Bon Marché retail chains in Brussels as their artistic and technical director, a position he held until 1950. He became interested in the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs (SAD) and the Salon des Arts Ménagers once more after returning from Belgium. In 1950, Martin was employed as an instructor at the École Nationale supérieure des expressions décoratives. He was a member of the SAD Committee and the organization’s treasurer. In 1997, he passed away.