Félix Ziem Français, 1821-1911

French Barbizon painter, marine artist and Orientalist

Born in 1821 in Beaune, Burgundy, Félix Ziem originally trained as an architect in Dijon but soon dedicated himself to painting. Influenced by Monticelli and Mediterranean landscapes, he fell in love with Venice during a trip in 1841, a city that became his lifelong inspiration.

Ziem traveled extensively across Europe and the Mediterranean—Venice, Constantinople, Egypt, Algeria—creating marine views, landscapes, and Oriental scenes of the Nile and Bosphorus. Known for his fluid brushwork and masterful handling of light, he exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1849, earning accolades as a Chevalier and then Officer of the Legion of Honor.

Settled in Montmartre and later at Martigues, Ziem balanced travel with teaching and produced a vast oeuvre spanning cityscapes and landscapes, bridging impressionist spontaneity and romantic lyricism. He was officially named Painter of the Navy in 1901.

He passed away in Paris in 1911. His rich, colorful body of work remains celebrated for its landscape mastery, Venetian devotion, and Orientalist flair. His legacy endures through the Musée Ziem in Martigues, founded from his bequest.