Jan and Joël Martel

Jan Martel (5 March 1896 – 16 March 1966) and Joël Martel (5 March 1896 – 25 September 1966) were French sculptors and identical twin brothers. The twins were born in Nantes and were among the founding members of Union des Artistes Modernes (UAM).[1] Their works include ornamental sculptures, statues, monuments and fountains displaying characteristics typical of the Art Deco and Cubist periods. Their work was part of the sculpture event in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics.[2][3]

Jan and Joël Martel on the inauguration of their monument to Claude Debussy in 1932.

Careers

Sharing the same workshop, their jointly created works were co-signed simply Martel. The brothers took part in a number of Paris exhibitions including the Salon des Indépendants, Salon d'Automne, Salon des Tuileries and the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs in 1925, where their concrete trees featured in a collaboration with architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. In 1932, they created the Claude Debussy monument which sits on the boulevard Lannes in Paris. Between 1924 and 1926, Robert Mallet-Stevens designed a studio for the twins at 10 Rue Mallet-Stevens in Paris' 16th arrondissement.[note 1] The brothers died in 1966, about six months apart from each other, one as the result of a long illness and the other in an accident.[4]

On 8 April 1945, before the war had actually ended, Antony became the first town to pay homage to its liberator by giving the name of Division-Leclerc to one of its streets.[5] The Martel Brothers were selected to create a memorial in honour of Leclerc. The statue, at the time figurative and stylised, represents the hero marching away from the screen of the piece which maps the route of the military from 1941 until entry into Paris.

Works

Notes
  1. The workshop of the Martel Brothers at 10 rue Mallet-Stevens in Paris is privately owned but open to the public on Heritage Days.

Bibliography
  • Biographie Joël et Jan Martel, sculpteurs, 1896–1966. Paris: Gallimard/Electa. 1996. ISBN 2-07-015032-1.

References
  1. Constant, Caroline. Eileen Gray. Phaidon, 2000. p.132. 9780714839059.
  2. "Joël Martel". Olympedia. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  3. "Jan Martel". Olympedia. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. Duncan, Alastair. Art deco Complete – The Definitive Guide to the Decorative Arts of the 1920's & 30's. Thames & Hudson, 2009. p.118. 9780500238554.
  5. Official News Bulletin for the Town of Antony. Page 31 of n° 112 of May 1997
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