Early Life and Training

Louis Michel Eilshemius, an American painter, was born on February 4, 1864, in a wealthy family near Newark, New Jersey. Despite being academically trained, his work is characterized by the unselfconscious nature of naive art. After being educated in Europe, he spent two years at Cornell University before beginning his art studies at the Art Students League of New York.

Artistic Style and Notable Works

Eilshemius's early landscapes, influenced by the Barbizon School and artists like Corot, George Inness, and Albert Pinkham Ryder, garnered little recognition. However, around 1910, his work became more idiosyncratic, with a coarser technique, often painting on cardboard instead of canvas. His later, visionary works, featuring moonlit landscapes with voluptuous nymphs, caused consternation among his contemporaries due to their crudely rendered and often extravagantly smiling nudes.

• Street in Village near Biskra, a notable piece, showcases Eilshemius's unique style, which can be found in The Phillips Collection (Washington, D.C.).
• His paintings of New York rooftops are as lyrical as his pastoral scenes, often bounded by sinuous "frames" he painted onto his pictures.

Later Life and Legacy

Eilshemius's lack of public acclaim led him to desperate measures, including signing his paintings Elshemus (reverted to the original spelling in 1913). He was championed by Marcel Duchamp, who invited him to exhibit in Paris in 1917. Despite a hostile critical reception, Eilshemius's work has found a wider audience since his death in 1941. Notable Mentions: * Louis Michel Eilshemius on WahooArt * Louis Eilshemius on Wikipedia

Key Works and Collections:

• The Phillips Collection (Washington, D.C.): Features several of Eilshemius's notable works.
• Neuberger Museum of Art (New York State): Houses a large body of Eilshemius's work, donated by Roy Neuberger.

This enigmatic figure, with his unique blend of academic training and naive art style, continues to intrigue art enthusiasts and scholars alike.