In 1894, Camille Martin (1861-1898) designed the poster for the first exhibition by the group of artists that was to become known as the École de Nancy. The diversity, originality and quality of his work placed Martin among the most promising of the Nancy group and he became the exponent of a new concept of the all-round artist moving effortlessly between painting and the decorative arts.
Passionate about innovation, modernity and experimentation in both the artistic and the technical senses, Martin preserved only his best pieces, very few of which have survived. Nature in all its forms is at the heart of his work, which is the product of brilliant inspiration and the relentless pursuit of perfection. His discovery of Japanese prints in the 1880s led him to a renewed striving for purity, simplicity and elegance.
Although Camille Martin's painting went through different stages, he was never dismissive of other art forms, and in the 1890s he turned to the decorative arts. The bookbinding designs he produced on his own or in conjunction with Victor Prouvé and René Wiener are testimony to his urge to break free from convention and tradition. Painter, ceramicist, bookbinder, print-maker and decorator - these are all facets of an artist who was unanimously acclaimed for his fine taste by critics and fellow-artists alike.
The École de Nancy Museum is holding the first exhibition devoted to this emblematic artist. The show, which will continue until 29 August 2010, contains around a hundred paintings, bookbindings, prints, posters and drawings that represent twenty years of work at the service of "art in everything", the principle so cherished by Art Nouveau artists.
Jérôme Perrin
Historien de l´Art, Villa Majorelle, Nancy