Albert Francis King
1854-1945
Portrait of George Treadwell, oil, Gift of Patrick G. Anderson and Mrs. James O. Brown, 1989.
New Castle News Founder
Born in 1854, Albert Francis King was the product of Catholic parents forced to flee Germany to escape religious persecution. When they arrived in Pittsburgh, they changed their last name from Konig to King to avoid any further religious bias against Catholics. As an artist, their son was primarily self-taught, although he did study for a time under fellow Scalp Level School member Martin Leisser. Much in demand as a portrait painter by the prominent citizens of Pittsburgh, he painted many notables including Stephen Foster, Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick. King worked in Pittsburgh nearly his entire life. A member of the Pittsburgh Art Society and the Pittsburgh Art Association, King enjoyed a long and fruitful career. He died in 1945.