Morton Livingston Schamberg was an American painter, photographer and early modernist whose brief, yet dynamic career helped shape U.S. avant-garde art. Born and educated in Philadelphia, he earned a degree in architecture in 1903 from the University of Pennsylvania and then trained with William Merritt Chase at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. A significant collaborator and lifelong friend during his studies was Charles Sheeler. In 1908, Schamberg traveled to Europe, joining Sheeler in studying Renaissance art before settling in Paris. There, he became part of the avant-garde milieu surrounding Gertrude and Leo Stein.



Returning to Philadelphia by mid-1909, Schamberg and Sheeler maintained studios in the city and a countryside retreat in Bucks County. In 1910, his first solo exhibition at McClees Galleries featured landscapes and intimate portraits. During this time Schamberg was experimenting with modernist techniques and was influenced by his time in Paris, particularly through exposure to Matisse and other Fauve artists.



Nude, painted circa 1910, clearly depicts the influence of Fauvism with its bold color contrasts and vigorous brushwork. Here, the female form becomes a vehicle for emotion rather than representation, transformed by radiant tones and sweeping strokes into a study of vitality and modern artists freedom.



Around 1915, Schamberg began focusing on machines and radically changed his painting style by blending Cubist, Futurist, Fauvist and Dadaist influences. His work of this period became a precursor to the Precisionist movement.



Tragically, Schamberg succumbed to the 1918 influenza pandemic at age 36. His early death and the subsequent dispersal of his work into private collections delayed broader recognition of his contributions to modern American Art.