Marcel Burtin was born in Tunisia in 1902, but arrived in France in 1911. He joined Renault as an apprentice turner, then joined the Navy from 1919 to 1925. He worked again at the Renault factories as a technical agent while devoting his spare time to painting and drawing. In 1932, Marcel met Edouard Pignon and the two became friends. For several years, he painted at night and worked during the day at Renault's Telephone Equipment. He became a student of Matisse and Leger. In 1940, he joined the group of the Young Painting in company of Bores, Gischia, Manessier, Le Moal, Tal Coat and met Picasso. In 1945, Marcel Burtin took part in the group exhibition "Histoire d'un tableau" organized by André Lhote at the Denise Rene gallery. In 1946, his works were exhibited at the Galerie Vendôme. He freed himself from the spell of Matisse and entered the State collections. In 1947, he presented on the walls of the MOOS gallery in Geneva for the exhibition "Les Jeunes Peintres de l'Ecole de Paris". He also exhibited at Victor Waddington Galleries with Rouault, Burnan, Matisee, Picasso, Pignon, and De Stael. In Luxembourg, he took part in the Mostra "Le Nouvel Art Français". It was also in 1947 that the Galerie de France in Paris and the APPOLO Gallery in Brussels presented his works. He became one of the painters under contract to the Galerie de France.