John Ross Key (16 July 1832, Hagerstown, Maryland – 24 March 1920, Baltimore) was an American artist most known for his frontier landscapes. [1]
Key was the grandson of Francis Scott Key, author of " The Star-Spangled Banner". [2]
From 1853 to 1856, Key was a draughtsman and map maker for the US Coast Survey in Washington, D.C. [1]
In 1859, he was a cartographer working for the Lander Expedition where he drew trails of Nevada and Wyoming. [2]
In 1863, Key was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers at Charleston, where he recorded the federal siege in his paintings. [3]
In 1869, Key moved to the East Coast and became a member of the Society of Washington Artists and the Boston Art Club. [4]
From 1870 to 1873, Key had a studio in San Francisco. In May of 1871,his work was part of the first exhibition by the San Francisco Art Association. [4]
Between 1873 and 1875, Key studies in Munich, Germany and Paris, France. When he returned to the United States, he worked in Chicago, St. Louis, New York, Baltimorem and Boston. [5] In 1876, his painting "The Golden Gate, San Francisco" won a gold medal in the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. The next year one hundred of his paintings were on display in the Boston Athenaeum. [4]
Many of Key's works are panoramic views, landscapes, and outdoor scenes. [6]
Key moved to Washington, D.C. in 1908. He stayed in the city until 1917 and moved to Baltimore. He lived in Baltimore until his death in 1920, aged 88. [5]
Media related to John Ross Key at Wikimedia Commons