Jean Mar. was interned at the Vernets asylum from 1868 to 1900, before being transferred to the Bel-Air psychiatric hospital. During his internment, he withdraws into a totally hermetic state, avoiding all contact with his entourage. Mumbling to himself, he spends all day writing, drawing, and making little objects composed of pieces of wire and leaves that he sticks together with chewed breadcrumbs.
Although there are only 7 works of Jean Mar. in the collection, his work was greatly admired by Jean Dubuffet. “Promenade du roi et de la reine”, one of his drawings, is featured on the first page of the exhibition catalogue from 1949.