Paul Jean Martel (1878-1944)
Post Impressionist Belgian/American
by Maclovia Martel

Post Impressionism was “the happy reign of colour” - a period of thirty years around the turn of the century that was so ebullient with ideas, individuals, and masterpieces, that it is difficult to reduce it to a common denominator. The passage of the 19th to the 20th century was no simple turning of the page, but a succession of brilliant years in which styles evolved from the first sensational impact of Impressionism to various forms of postimpressionism. This was the period to dare to be different, to push out the boundaries, to dare all with and through colour. Into this period was born Paul Jean Martel, in Laaken, Belgium.

In 1897, he entered the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, the same year as Oleffe, Schirren, Thevenet, and Paerels. In 1898 the influential Felicien Rops of the “Les XX” group died, and there were dramatic changes at the Academie that would influence the work of the Belgian artists. Martel was 18, and among the best. He studied under Stallaert and Van der Stappen, who was director of the Academie at that time. He was in the company of artists like Lemmen, Theo van Rysselberghe, and Verhaegen. While at the academy one of his works was nominated for the Prix de Rome. Unfortunately, it was vandalized the night before the judging and had to be withdrawn.

Within this talented arena, Martel developed his particular style and extremely individual palate of colour. The rigorous academic training surfaces in his skillful portrayal of the human body, and in his official portraits. His interest though lay in the use of colour, and his was the mastery of the use of colour to suggest the form.

In a later interview he was quoted as saying, “you see, colour to me, is the soul of painting. When I want to represent something on canvas, I put side by side strokes of colour in values that my eye can absorb as they reverberate from an artistically interesting object. Colour is first and form is second. I would like to describe my work as two dimensional art.”
Influenced by the Impressionists, Martel executed a series of nudes, landscapes and still life studies. He blended objects into their reflections, creating a luminous quality that animated his canvas. Colour was the key to his aestheticism. He expressed his vision by differentiating the tones he used.

Some of Martel’s work evokes Renoir, but Martel would point out that whereas Renoir believed that he could paint light by means of opposite (complementary) colours, which would blend in the eye of the viewer and then produce the scintillating illusion of luminosity; he (Martel) believed that was asking too much of the eye. A picture was static, and colour could only reflect what the eye wanted to see.

He spoke of Cezanne who understood that philosophy, and who took them back to the basics. Martel agreed that he was influenced by the Impressionists, as were many artists of that period, but was not one in the strictest sense of its’ original concept.

Martel devoted his life to experimenting and proving his theory. His early work demonstrates this philosophy strongly. There is no definite outline, no strong contour, only strokes of colour which give form. Not only does he give form, but suggest movement; he creates an illusion of movement. A fine white veil seems to cover his works while contours and shapes appear in quiet, soft colours that flow into peaceful and serene togetherness. The artist attributes this to the silvery mist, which covers the landscape of northern France and Flanders.
“In Belgium,” he said, “as we grew up, we learned to see things through the dampness of an atmosphere heavily laden with humidity and sun. We Flemish people have always painted the colour values in our air – in that respect I believe I follow the Flemish tradition.” Later on he started to give more serious attention to form and volumes.

In 1906, after graduating from the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, Martel left for America and entered the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under Thomas Anshutz. During this period he was befriended by Edward Redfield, W. Elmer Schofield, Daniel Garber, William Lathrope, Richard Blossom Farley and Fred Wagner. In 1908 he became a member of the Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Paul Martel met and married Muriel Remont of Moylan, Pennsylvania in 1911. Shortly after their marriage they left for Europe. On returning to Belgium, Martel renewed his friendship with his colleague, Auguste Oleffe, and settled in Audergehm, on the outskirts of Brussels, where Oleffe was living. Martel was not accepted in the Belgian Army at the outbreak of World War I because of his having to wear spectacles.

During this period Martel found a mentor in Samuel Lamm, a wealthy Czechoslovakian industrialist, who supported Martel in exchange for one painting a month. This was fortuitous, as the ‘patron of the arts’ was a rare and difficult person to find at this time. Most of the successful Post-Impressionist artists came from middle class backgrounds, and had the means to support themselves. Paul Martel’s father was a butcher, and he neither had the means nor the inclination to support his son in his art. It is clear from the prestigious juried exhibitions he participated in that his talent was being recognized.

They were:
Bruxelles, Galerie Artis, Exposition d’Etudes de Paul Martel et Henri Ottayaere.
March 5-22, 1919.
Antwerp, The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts, Salon Triennal
1920. Amongst the list of exhibitors were Matisse, Bonnard, Oleffe,
1921. Verhaegan and Heintz.
Bruxelles, La Salle Aeolien, Exhibition de Paul Jean Martel, 1921.
Ghent, Salle des Fetes Parc de la Citadelle, XLI Exposition 1922.