Only four signed paintings by Samuel Jordan are known and few biographical facts have been ascertained. The inscriptions on the verso of the National Gallery's painting Eaton Family Memorial (1955.11.9) indicate that he was born in 1803 or 1804 and resided in Boston at some time in his life. From a diary kept by Isaac Watts Merrill (1803-1878), we...

William Lees Judson was a pioneering California Impressionist artist of many talents.  With his three sons, he founded the Judson Stained Glass Studios in 1897, which are still in operation in Los Angeles.  He was founding Dean of the USC College of Fine Arts, and an important mentor to many local artists; he also served as the president of the...

Census records indicate that Frederick Kemmelmeyer was more than forty-five years old in 1800, and therefore born sometime prior to 1755, but no record of his birth has been found. A Frederick Kimmelmeiger listed in naturalization papers issued at Annapolis, Maryland, on 8 October 1788 is presumed to be the artist. He first advertised in the...

John Ross Key was the grandson of Francis Scott Key, author of the patriotic song The Star Spangled Banner.  He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland in 1832 and studied art in Munich and Paris.  He worked in a number of American cities including Boston where he showed over 100 works in 1877.  Critics praised his work as "firm and masterly, strong...