Bronze Sculpture for Sale
France
• 1946
Biography
Yves-Marie de Malleray is a French artist, painter and engraver, whose work is built around a close relationship between man and nature. Originating from Touraine, he settled in Martinique several decades ago, where the discovery of the tropical vegetation, the landscapes, the fauna and flora of the island becomes a major source of inspiration. Before dedicating himself fully to art, he works as an agricultural engineer and notably develops an important crayfish farming in Lorraine. This dual experience, between scientific rigor and observation of living things, has permanently accompanied his artistic journey.
First attracted by engraving, Yves-Marie de Malleray develops an exacting practice based on the precision of drawing and the meticulousness of the gesture. He then turns to painting, particularly through acrylics, which he appreciates for the spontaneity and the irreversible nature of the gesture. He also developed a personal technique of painted bas-relief, which combines the principles of engraving and painting. His work is characterized by an attentive observation of nature and a desire to restore the beauty of landscapes and animals in their natural environment.
A naturalist painter, the artist depicts tropical landscapes, seas, birds, wild animals, and abundant flora. The fauna of the Caribbean occupies an important place in his work, notably the birds of the islands, while some paintings also focus on African fauna. His landscapes are often crossed by skies full of clouds, dark reliefs, and marine expanses with deep reflections. However, the precision of the drawing and brush does not only seek to faithfully reproduce reality: it contributes to creating a poetic and sometimes dreamlike atmosphere.
This approach is intimately linked to his conception of painting. Yves-Marie de Malleray considers his work as a means of establishing a bridge between man and nature and celebrating the symbiosis that unites them. He paints to evoke wonder and invite daydreaming, relying on the beauty of the natural world. Poetry also occupies a place in his approach: some paintings are accompanied by texts or poems written by the artist himself, the words coming into dialogue with the image and expressing the same reality in another form.
In parallel to his activity as a painter and engraver, Yves-Marie de Malleray works for the Hermès house, where he becomes one of the designers. His journey also leads him to travel and exhibit internationally. His works are notably presented in Tokyo, London, Boston and Dubai, as well as in different places in France and the Caribbean. He also participates in the Official Salon of Marine Painters and carries out several illustration and decoration projects, including wall panels and works intended for different public and private spaces.
His work continues to be presented in Martinique, where nature remains at the heart of his research. In 2023, the Clément Foundation dedicated the exhibition Contemplation to him, and then presented in 2025, from March 14 to April 13, a pictorial exhibition dedicated to his painting work. This latter notably highlights works inspired by the landscapes and fauna of the Caribbean.
Through naturalist painting, engraving and painted bas-relief, Yves-Marie de Malleray develops a body of work dedicated to the beauty of living things. Between scientific observation, drawing precision and poetry, his work offers a sensitive vision of a nature still preserved. His landscapes, birds and animals become the subjects of a painting that seeks less to dominate the natural world than to reveal its richness, fragility, and contemplative strength.
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