Art Lovers, Meet the Forgotten Genius: John Quidor

The art world is buzzing with a rediscovered name, John Quidor, a lost American master whose haunting, literary-inspired paintings are finally stepping out of the shadows.

For nearly two centuries, his legacy was fragmented, scattered across forgotten court cases, mislabeled auction lots, and abandoned farmland in the Midwest. But now, through tireless research and investigation, a clearer picture has emerged, and it's unforgettable.

What makes Quidor's story so compelling?

• Previously unknown works uncovered through historic auction listings, paintings long thought lost, now attributed to Quidor with scholarly support.
• Location of his ill-fated Illinois land deal traced to 520 acres near Columbus, Illinois, a story of betrayal where Quidor traded seven massive religious paintings for land he never received.
• Only known sculpted likeness of Quidor, created by famed artist John H. I. Browere, identified in the archives of the New-York Historical Society.
• Confirmed painting studio in Quincy, IL, located in the basement of the city's earliest church-where he likely painted his monumental religious pieces now lost to time.
• First self-portrait painting by Quidor uncovered, depicting him in a tranquil natural setting with his painting tools-a rare glimpse into how the artist saw himself.
• ✝️ Only known religious painting, Two Marys at the Tomb, verified and documented-possibly the last remnant of his long-lost sacred series.
• Uncovered details about his pupils, including Charles Loring Elliott, who criticized Quidor's teaching in a twist of ironic legacy.
• Exhibition ads and records from the 1840s promoting Quidor's works under false claims of being by Benjamin West-an early scandal in American art history.

The Mysterious John Quidor is set to become the most comprehensive catalogue of Quidor's life and work ever published.