Jan Martel and Joël Martel were French sculptors and identical twin brothers born in 1896. They were among the founding members of Union des Artistes Modernes. 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.
Sharing the same workshop, their jointly created works were co-signed simply Martel or J.J. 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. iIn 1925, their concrete trees were 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 while other examples of their work can be found permanently displayed in Paris and in other parts of France.
At the request of the French national railways system, the Martel brothers were commissioned to create a series of modernist aluminum sculptures for the Colonial Exhibition, 1931 of which this is one.
Geoffrey Beene acquired this J.J. Martel Locomotive in 1982.
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