Manessier was born on 5 December 1911 in Saint-Ouen, into a family of fishermen and stonemasons in Picardy, northern France. Artistic ambitions were already present in the family, as his father and uncle had studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Abbeville, and his grandfather was a decorative stonemason. After obtaining his father's permission to study in Paris - on the condition that he chose architecture, which was considered safer than painting - Manessier began training in architecture in 1929. However, after his father's sudden death in 1936, he was able to switch to art studies at the Académie Ranson, where he studied under Roger Bissière from 1935.

In 1937, he collaborated with Sonia and Robert Delaunay as part of a group of 50 artists who created large murals for Paris transport hubs. During his career, he also worked on the decoration of chapels and created sets for theatre productions.

Manessier developed a unique style that combined the influences of Paul Klee with a Christian reverence for light, particularly in his stained glass and abstract paintings. His work is characterised by bright colours and dynamic forms, exploring the deep connections between human experience and a higher unity.

Manessier died on 1 August 1993 in Orléans, France. His works are today in collections worldwide, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Tate Gallery in London, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Musées de Lorraine in France.