Edgar Louis Ewing was born in Nebraska in 1913. Upon graduating high school he moved to Chicago to pursue his art training. He began attending the University of Chicago, where he was given an art fellowship to study in Europe. Ewing was heavily influenced by his travels through Europe and would return many times. He was especially intrigued by the history of Ancient Greece and Rome and would eventually do a series of paintings on the subject.

After fighting in World War II, Ewing returned to Chicago where he taught at the Art Institute of Chicago. Soon the artist went to the West Coast where he began teaching at the University of Southern California. He taught alongside artist Francis De Erdely. While in Los Angeles he exhibited widely, and received a great deal of artistic recognition.