Louis Marcoussis

Louis Marcoussis, whose real name was Ludwik Kazimierz Władysław Markus, was born on November 14, 1878, in Warsaw, then part of the Russian Empire.
A Polish painter and printmaker, he later became a naturalized French citizen.

The son of industrialist Gerszon Markous, he abandoned his law studies in 1901 to devote himself to painting. After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, he decided to move to Paris in 1903, where he continued his training at the Académie Julian under the guidance of Jules Lefebvre.

By 1905, he was exhibiting his works at the Salon d’Automne, while earning a living through caricatures for satirical newspapers such as *La Vie Parisienne* and *L’Assiette au Beurre*. He associated with prominent figures such as Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, and Guillaume Apollinaire—the latter suggesting he adopt the French name Louis Marcoussis, inspired by a village near Montlhéry.

Initially influenced by Impressionism, Marcoussis quickly embraced Cubism, becoming the first recognized engraver of the movement. In 1910, he participated in the “Section d’Or” exhibition and began developing a repertoire of Cubist forms, incorporating everyday objects into his compositions. In 1913, he married Polish painter Alicja Halicka, with whom he had a daughter, Madeleine, in 1922.

His career took a turn during World War I when he was drafted into the French army and awarded the Croix de Guerre for his service. After the war, he became an active member of the Section d’Or association, helping to organize exhibitions in France and abroad.

Marcoussis held his first solo exhibition in 1925, and his work soon gained international recognition, with exhibitions in the United States, Italy, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.

In the 1930s, he focused on printmaking, perfecting his techniques and teaching at the Académie Schlaepfer in Montparnasse. He illustrated literary works, including Apollinaire’s *Alcools*, and collaborated with numerous illustrated magazines.

In 1940, as German troops advanced, Louis Marcoussis moved to Cusset, near Vichy, where he continued to work until his death on October 22, 1941.