Marcoussis was born Lodwicz Markus in Warsaw, Poland. His father was a wealthy carpet dealer and after a good education in Warsaw and Cracow Marcoussis was allowed to go to Paris in 1903. In 1910, after visiting Spain, he met Braque, Picasso and the poet Apollinaire and soon became a member of their circle. His family fortune having declined, Louis needed to earn a living and he worked as a cartoonist for L'Assiette au Beurre, the satirical journal and other periodicals. Another friend, the poet and artist Max Jacob introduced him to Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas. He tried painting in various styles but eventually was converted to cubism and became one of its leading figures. His cubist prints, in particular, were much admired and his etchings and illustrations for numerous books were the inspiration for other cubists, such as his friends Juan Gris and Joan Miro whom he taught etching techniques. He exhibited in Berlin with great success, inspiring many young German artists. His later work pleased the surrealists and he made many superb portrait etchings of his contemporary artists.