Artist and America's first lithographer. He was born in Massachusetts the son of a physician and in his early twenties studied with artist Gilbert Stuart. He moved to New York City and then Philadelphia where his painting career took off. He was elected to the Society of Artists of the United States in 1812 and his portraits were included in the society's joint exhibition with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The next year he married Alice Pierie with whom he had six children. Otis was also an inventor and in 1815 he patented the perspective protractor. In the following years he undertook twenty-four portraits for "Delaplaine's Repository of the Lives and Portraits of Distinguished American Characters" for which he painted numerous famous persons including President James Madison, First Lady Dolley Madison, and former President Thomas Jefferson. In 1819 Otis produced the first American lithograph which was published with an article on the lithographic process. In the next seven years alone Otis painted 300 portraits including those of John Greenleaf Whittier, John Fremont, and in later years James Fenimore Cooper and William Henry Harrison. Otis left Philadelphia to work in Boston, Wilmington, and Providence, but returned to Philadelphia in his last years where he died. He was buried at Monument Cemetery (Section E, Lot 23), which was closed in 1956 and his remains were moved to Lawnview Cemetery.
Artist and America's first lithographer. He was born in Massachusetts the son of a physician and in his early twenties studied with artist Gilbert Stuart. He moved to New York City and then Philadelphia where his painting career took off. He was elected to the Society of Artists of the United States in 1812 and his portraits were included in the society's joint exhibition with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The next year he married Alice Pierie with whom he had six children. Otis was also an inventor and in 1815 he patented the perspective protractor. In the following years he undertook twenty-four portraits for "Delaplaine's Repository of the Lives and Portraits of Distinguished American Characters" for which he painted numerous famous persons including President James Madison, First Lady Dolley Madison, and former President Thomas Jefferson. In 1819 Otis produced the first American lithograph which was published with an article on the lithographic process. In the next seven years alone Otis painted 300 portraits including those of John Greenleaf Whittier, John Fremont, and in later years James Fenimore Cooper and William Henry Harrison. Otis left Philadelphia to work in Boston, Wilmington, and Providence, but returned to Philadelphia in his last years where he died. He was buried at Monument Cemetery (Section E, Lot 23), which was closed in 1956 and his remains were moved to Lawnview Cemetery.
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Records on Ancestry
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Geneanet Community Trees Index
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Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700-1850
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates Index, 1803-1915
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Massachusetts, U.S., Town Birth Records, 1620-1850
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U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930
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