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"Zebra Family," Morris Hirshfield, 1942.

Born in Poland, Hirshfield (1872-1946) emigrated to the U.S. in 1890 and from then until his 60s he worked in the garment industry, including owning businesses that made women's coats and slippers. After his retirement in 1935, he took up painting.

Completely self-taught, his paintings (primarily of animals and women) were rich with pattern, perhaps a holdover from his work in the garment industry. These zebras, for instance, could almost be crewel embroidery, especially the trees in the background.

He had some fame in his lifetime, including a show at the Museum of Modern Art...but it got bad press and the MoMA's director was demoted as a result. Still, now he's regarded as one of the great American outsider artists.

From a private collection.