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Leo Michelson (Latvian: Leo Mihelsons; 12 May 1887 – 10 April 1978) was a Latvian-American artist considered part of the École de Paris, although his works span many periods and styles.
Biography
Michelson was born in Riga, Latvia. He attended the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia, and then the University of Tartu (then called the University of Dorpat) in Tartu, Russian Empire.
The Russian Revolution of 1917 forced Michelson to leave Russia for Munich, Germany, where he participated in the beginnings of German Expressionism.
By 1920 Michelson was living in Paris and had established an international reputation for his paintings, prints, and sculptures. As a prominent member of the Paris School his works were shown in major exhibits throughout Western Europe, the Soviet Union, and the United States. After the fall of Paris to Nazi Germany in 1939, Michelson fled to New York City, where he spent the rest of his life.
Michelson is described as an "eternal emigrant, eternal student" because he was always studying and experimenting with new styles. Michelson actually carried crayons with him so he could sketch where ever he was. Art historians have compared Michelson to both Chagall and Picasso, but it was Titian who Michelson said was his inspiration.
Michelson painted over 1,000 paintings. He died on 10 April 1978. His widow, Janine, selected Marshall, Texas, as the permanent home for her late husband's works. in what is known as the Michelson Museum of Art
External links
References
- "LEO MICHELSON, PAINTER WITH A 'LYRICAL' STYLE". The New York Times. 1978-04-11. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
- "Artists of the American West".
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- 1887 births
- 1978 deaths
- Artists from Riga
- People from Riga county
- Latvian Jews
- Jews from the Russian Empire
- Jewish American artists
- Jewish painters
- Emigrants from the Russian Empire
- Marshall, Texas
- 20th-century French painters
- 20th-century French male artists
- French male painters
- Immigrants to Germany
- Immigrants to France
- Immigrants to the United States
- Latvian people stubs
- European painter stubs