Joseph Delattre was originally from Flanders. Filled by enthusiasm for Monet's painting, he gathered around him a group of Rouen artists keen to depict the changing light and atmosphere of their region and became leader of this Rouen School (founded with Charles Angrand, Léon-Jules Lemaître and Charles Fréchon) and created an open academy in 1895.

In 1907, with the sponsorship of the paint merchant Legrip, he organised an exhibition in Rouen where all these artists were able to exhibit their work.

His works include: View of Rouen; Evening View of a Boulevard in Paris (1883) and Hillside (1885). Delattre's work was shown posthumously at the Around Impressionism: Nineteen Painters from the School of Normandy (Autour de l'Impressionisme - Dix-neuf Peintres de l'École Normande) at the Maison des Arts in Antony (2003).