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 the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...

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 In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...

. 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 Dennis; January 20, 1879 – July 21, 1968) was an American pioneer of modern dance, introducing eastern ideas into the art and paving the way for other women in dance. She was inspired by the Delsarte advocate Gene ...

Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlovna Pavlova. (born Anna Matveyevna Pavlova; – 23 January 1931) was a Russian prima ballerina. She was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, but is most recognized for creating ...

, 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, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...

. He attended

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

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

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

area, he moved to study at the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...

, 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, 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, Frederick Styles Agate, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, an ...

. 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 i ...

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

Books

*Kinney, Troy and Royal Cortissoz - 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 20th-century American etchers American illustrators National Academy of Design members