Leo Schutzman Art
American, Russian, 1878-1962
Leo (Kyle) Schutzman (1878?-1962) developed a reputation in New York in
the 1950s as the ‘Jewish Grandma Moses.’ The characterization was particularly
appropriate. Both artists only took up painting in a serious way in their old age
after retiring from work. They also shared a popular aesthetic style then known as
‘primitivism’ or ‘naive art,’ far from the abstract expressionism that was the art
critic’s darling at the time.
Schutzman was born Leo Kyle in Russia around 1878. His father died when
he was 3 years old and he immigrated to England in his teens, where he remained
for 9 years. When he moved to the United States in 1905, he took the name
Schutzman after a German family who was renting to his nephew, Louis Kyle.
In New York City, Schutzman worked in the Jewish-dominated clothing
industry, producing underwear as well as lace and embroidery. He founded the
Victory Undergarment Company and the business was successful enough to
provide for his family until he retired at about age 74.
After retirement, Schutzman took art courses at the Brooklyn Museum and
began painting. He often depicted scenes of Jewish religious life that he
remembered from childhood in Russia. His work seemed the very definition of
‘naive art’ as it was personified by Grandma Moses in the 1950s. His clumsy
human figures sometimes had no features at all, or were portrayed with just a slash
for the mouth and two dots for the eyes. He had only the vaguest sense of
perspective and often used dissonant colors in unusual places.
Schutzman had his first one-man show in 1958, when he was 80 years old, at
The Contemporaries gallery (992 Madison Ave.). His optimistic primitivism was
popular in the United States in the 1950s as was his backstory; an immigrant who
had succeeded as an entrepreneur in the capitalist system before affirming the
democratic individualist creed that everyone had talents and could accomplish
something at any age. He was soon socializing at parties with people like
heiress/artist Gloria Vanderbilt. One of his ‘non-Jewish’ works depicting a winter
carnival was chosen in 1962 for the United Nations Children’s Fund Christmas
Card Collection.
When Grandma Moses died in 1961, naive art began to lose popularity
Schutzman was living in Glendale Queens when he died at age 83 in 1962 and his
reputation soon disappeared. In 1986, two of his paintings were acquired by the
Jewish Museum in New York City. One of them, “The Wedding,” (c. 1960) was an
iconic portrait of an Ashkenazic wedding. It has been reproduced by the Jewish
Museum on popular stationery, and has appeared in popular books such as The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Judaism.to
1
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
9,105
2,808
2,504
1,349
2
2
Artist: Leo Schutzman
"Simchat Torah in the Synagogue, " Leo Schutzman, Jewish Folk Art
By Leo Schutzman
Located in New York, NY
Leo Schutzman (1878 - 1962)
Simchat Torah in the Synagogue, circa 1958
Oil on canvas
40 x 36 inches
Signed lower left
Provenance:
The Contemporaries Gal...
Category
1950s Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"The Marriage Proposal (Family Gathering), " Leo Schutzman, Jewish Folk Art
By Leo Schutzman
Located in New York, NY
Leo Schutzman (1878 - 1962)
The Marriage Proposal, circa 1958
Oil on canvas
24 x 20 inches
Signed lower left
Leo (Kyle) Schutzman (1878-1962) developed ...
Category
1950s Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Related Items
'The Family Dinner', Thanksgiving, Christmas, Festive Reunion, Large Naive Oil
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower right, 'Pauer' for Jacalyn Pauer (American, 20th century) and dated 1991. Additionally signed, verso, and titled, 'The Family Dinner'.
A substantial, American oil paint...
Category
1990s Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,150
H 30 in W 20 in D 0.75 in
The window (La ventana) Folk Art. Green, blue, yellow, orange interior scene
By Raquel Fariñas
Located in Segovia, ES
The window (La ventana) . Folk Art, Acrylic on wood panel painting by Spanish author Raquel Fariñas.
Dimensions in centimetres (H) 177,3 x (W) 95 x (D) 4
In inches: (H) 69.7 x (W)...
Category
2010s Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Wood Panel, Acrylic
$5,151
H 69.81 in W 37.41 in D 1.19 in
Balance, Whimsical female with flowers, roses, bright golden sky
By Stephen Basso
Located in Brooklyn, NY
*ABOUT Stephen Basso
Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought provoking fantasies. His whimsical works are alive with boundless imagina...
Category
2010s Outsider Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$3,200
H 40 in W 40 in D 2 in
Whimsical Naive Mediterranean Seaside Interior Folk Art Oil Painting Fanch Ledan
By Fanch (Francois Ledan)
Located in Surfside, FL
Francois "Fanch" Ledan (Born 1949) French American artist
Oil on Canvas.
Hand signed and dated
2002
Dimensions: overall Size: 25 1/4 x 25 1/4 in. Sight Size: 15 1/2 x 15 1/2 in.
D...
Category
20th Century Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$3,200
H 25.25 in W 25.25 in
Ernst Philip De Fine Licht, Helsingborg Old Town Hall
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This charming Lowry-esque late 19th-century oil painting by Swedish artist Ernst Philip De Fine Licht (1855-1929) depicts the old town hall at Helsingborg, Sweden. De Fine Licht was ...
Category
1870s Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
$3,628
H 30.5 in W 41.5 in
Baroque Italian Old Master, Madonna, Child, Angels, Oval, Marratta, Christmas
By Workshop Of Carlo Maratta
Located in Greven, DE
Religious Painting, depicting Madonna and the Child, surrounded by Angels by the Circle of Carlo Maratta (Maratti). This painting is wonderful example of...
Category
18th Century Baroque Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$19,168 Sale Price
20% Off
H 32.29 in W 26.97 in
Interior - XXI Century, contemporary oil painting, Light & shadow contrasts
By Ilona Sapka
Located in Warsaw, PL
ILONA SAPKA
studied at the School of Applied Arts, "Schola Posnaniensis" in Poznan. She received her diploma from the Faculty of Painting in the studio of stained glass led by prof. ...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$862 Sale Price
20% Off
H 27.56 in W 39.38 in
Holiday Folk Art Painting Toys Interior James Litz American Naive Rare Christmas
By James C. Litz
Located in Buffalo, NY
A thoroughly charming original acrylic on canvas painting by American folk art artist James C. Litz. Perfect as a holiday gift or a wonderful adornment for your own home, this impo...
Category
1990s Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,000 Sale Price
20% Off
H 12 in W 16 in
Large Scale Early 20th Century Oil on Canvas, The Agriculture and Livestock Fair
Located in Cotignac, FR
A large early 20th Century naive, folk art, oil on canvas view of a livestock fair by Tanim. The painting is signed bottom left.
A wonderful, humorous and playful view of animals an...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
$2,875
H 39.38 in W 28.75 in D 0.79 in
Hotel Night Lobby. Large Mid-Century American Oil Painting.
Located in Marco Island, FL
A long and quiet night in the hotel lobby is depicted by Clyde Singer in this moody and still painting. Entitled Hotel Night Lobby (1947), Singer paints a moment of solitude during ...
Category
1940s American Realist Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
A Very Fine Italian Oil on Canvas Titled "The Solo Violinist or Violin Teacher "
Located in LA, CA
A very fine Italian oil on canvas titled "The Solo Violinist" by Luigi Da Rios (Italian, 1844-1892), depicting an interior 18th century room scene of a single violinist player; withi...
Category
Late 19th Century Academic Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Oil
$19,850
H 25.88 in W 20.25 in D 3.5 in
Ex Voto Retablo – Early 20th C. Holy Tribute for Healing & Return to Good Health
Located in Denver, CO
Ex Voto; Holy Tribute for the Return to Good Health. Oil on tin with ink, May 31, 1922 with a contemporary custom frame hand-carved by artisan Michael Blatnik. Ex-Voto is 7 ½ x 11 i...
Category
1920s Folk Art Leo Schutzman Art
Materials
Metal
$3,100
H 15 in W 18 in D 0.75 in
Leo Schutzman art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Leo Schutzman art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Leo Schutzman in canvas, fabric, oil paint and more. Not every interior allows for large Leo Schutzman art, so small editions measuring 23 inches across are available. Leo Schutzman art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $7,500 and tops out at $10,000, while the average work can sell for $8,750.