Troy Sylvanus Kinney (December 1, 1871 – January 29, 1938) was an American

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...

etcher Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...

, and

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

. Troy Kinney was most notable for his works portraying dance performers, fanciful subjects, and classically styled nudes. He worked with dancers, including

Ruth St. Denis Ruth St. Denis (born Ruth Denis; January 20, 1879 – July 21, 1968) was an American pioneer of modern dance, introducing eastern ideas into the art. She was the co-founder of the American Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts and the teac ...

Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlovna Pavlova ( , rus, Анна Павловна Павлова ), born Anna Matveyevna Pavlova ( rus, Анна Матвеевна Павлова; – 23 January 1931), was a Russian prima ballerina of the late 19th and the early 20th ...

, and Sophie Pflanz among others. His artistic works are part of the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the New York Public Library, the Library of Congress, and many others.

Early life and career

Troy Sylvanus Kinney was born the son of William and Mary Kinney in

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

. He attended

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

, graduating in 1896, and then after a brief time illustrating for newspapers in the

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

area, he moved to study at the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...

, where he would later become a full member of the Chicago Society of Etchers. He met and in 1900 married his wife and collaborator Margaret West Kinney (1872–1952). They were premier illustrators of the early 20th century, creating works together under the name "The Kinneys", including scores of books, and covers for ''Harper's Bazaar'' magazine.

Artistic career

Perhaps Troy Kinney's greatest legacy is in his contributions in the area of dance. He co-authored with his wife the books "Social Dancing of Today" and "The Dance: Its Place in Art and Life", for which he traveled throughout the world to study various dance styles. It remains to this day one of the most comprehensive works on the subject. Besides being a member of the

Chicago Society of Etchers Chicago Society of Etchers was founded in January 1910, the first organization of etchers in the country. There were 20 members to start and by 1930 there were 150 members. Membership extended outside of the United States, including artists from En ...

, Troy Kinney was a member of the Society of American Etchers, and the

National Academy of Design The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, and others "to promote the fin ...

. Troy Kinney died near his art studio in

Falls Village, Connecticut Falls Village is a village and census-designated place in the town of Canaan in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 538, out of 1,234 in the entire town of Canaan. Because Falls Village is t ...

, leaving his wife and only child, John West Kinney.

Books

*Kinney, Troy and

Royal Cortissoz Royal Cortissoz (; February 10, 1869 – October 17, 1948) was an American art historian and, from 1891 until his death, the art critic for the '' New York Herald Tribune''. During his tenure at the newspaper, he consistently championed tradit ...

- The Etchings of Troy Kinney 1929 *Kinney, Troy and Margaret West Kinney
The Dance: Its Place in Art and Life
1914, New York, Frederick A. Stokes Company *Morgan Charles - Troy Kinney. American Etchers- Volume IX. 1930 *Serge Leslie - Selected Letters of Troy Kinney to Doris Niles 1952

Sources

Online Archive of California''Social Dancing of Today'' free online textSome selected works of Troy Kinney

External links

* *
Margaret West Kinney
at the Illinois Women Artists Project * an
at WorldCat
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinney, Troy 1871 births 1938 deaths Yale University alumni Federal Art Project artists Artists from Kansas City, Missouri American etchers American illustrators 20th-century American printmakers National Academy of Design members