Le voilier, Circa 1975

Jean Marzelle  

Jean Marzelle (January 24, 1916, Lauzun - August 11, 2005) was a French painter.
Attracted by paintings since his young age, he makes his first steps in painting by copying the great masters, especially Eugène Delacroix. He enters the drawing class of the École des beaux-arts of Montpellier. In 1934, he participates in an exhibition organized by the Société des Peintres of Hérault. In 1935, he moves to Paris and enters the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts. During the World War II, he finds his Parisian studio was looted in his absence.

In 1942, he was hired to assist François Desnoyer with the decoration of the Town Hall of Cachan ("Un dimanche dans la banlieue parisienne"). He then teaches the history of art and decoration at the Centre Professionnel de l'École Estienne. In 1943, the first personal exhibition of Marzelle takes place at galerie Pittoresque. In 1949, he moves to Aix-en-Provence. In 1953, he exhibits his artworks at galerie Marcel Guiot, Paris. In 1970, he is the first laureate of Prix international du portrait, founded by Paul-Louis Weiller. In 1982, another personal exhibition takes place at galerie Jean-Pierre Joubert.