[1] He attended the Ecole des Beaux Arts de Lyon from 1929 to 1933, where he met Marcel Michaud.
Martin moved to Paris in 1934, working at the studio of Charles Malfray at the Académie Ranson, where he came into contact with such painters as Roger Bissière, Jean Le Moal, Jean Bertholle, Alfred Manessier, Zelman, Véra Pagava, and the sculptor François Stahly.
In 1942, he traveled to Oppède with Stahly and Zelman, and then in 1943–1944 went to Dieulefit, Drôme, where he met the writer Henri-Pierre Roché.
He was a professor and head of the sculpture department from 1968 to 1983 at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
In 2010, from June to September, a new exhibition at the Pompidou Center paid respect to the artist by showing 15 sculptures, drawing, personal notebooks, and photographs of his studio.