Martine Delaleuf was born in Paris in 1948. She studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, graduating with a degree in architecture. Her work has been widely exhibited internationally—across France and America, but also Italy, Poland, Japan and China, South Korea, and Syria. Over the course of her career, Delaleuf has received numerous awards and accolades, including: a Gold Medal from the Salon des Artistes Français, the Taylor Foundation Award, and the Medal of the City of Paris, among others. She is the current President of the Society of French Artists.

In her paintings, Delaleuf demonstrates mastery over line and color. Flattening the picture plane, she brings all lines to the surface of the canvas. Her portraits depict contemporary women at ease, staring out at the viewer. She often incorporates decorative patterns into the background, which serve to accentuate the simplicity of the figures in the foreground. Their features are reminiscent of early Greek statuary, goddesses like Athena and Aphrodite. Whether the moment feels private, or like a break away from an otherwise busy life, they emit strength and confidence. They are neither inviting nor denying the gaze of the viewer, but they are aware of it.

Whereas, in her portraits, Delaleuf exhibits intent and restraint with color—letting the negative spaces and bold swaths of color fall into perfect harmony—her landscapes incorporate lush textures and solid blocks of color. Her architectural eye is evident throughout her work, but particularly in her landscapes. Whether it’s a field, meadow, or stream, everything builds upward towards the horizon line—a great expanse of color.