About Kenneth Riley
Lived 1919 – 2015 (aged 95–96). Kenneth Riley was an American painter and illustrator.
Kenneth Pauling Riley (1919–2015), often called Ken Riley, was an American realist history painter of the Old West, a prolific illustrator, and a war artist in the Pacific during World War II.
Life He was born in Waverly, Missouri in 1919, but grew up in Kansas where his ability was first recognized at the Kansas City Art Institute. After studying there, and under Frank DuMond and Harvey Dunn, Riley began work as an illustrator of pulp fiction in 1941, but with the entry of the United States into World War II later that year he enlisted and was sent out to the Pacific as a war artist. was acquired by President John F. Kennedy for the White House collection. Honors Charter member of the National Academy of Western Artists; Member of the Cowboy Artists of America, 1982.
Gallery
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Important facts
People in Kenneth Riley's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Kenneth Riley's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Kenneth Riley?
American painter and illustrator (1919–2015)
When was Kenneth Riley born?
Kenneth Riley was born in 1919 in Waverly.
When did Kenneth Riley die?
Kenneth Riley died in 2015.
What was Kenneth Riley's occupation?
Kenneth Riley was a painter and illustrator.
What nationality was Kenneth Riley?
Kenneth Riley was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Kenneth Riley (painter)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Kenneth Riley. https://biography.guide/kenneth-riley/
MLA: "Kenneth Riley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kenneth-riley/.
Chicago: "Kenneth Riley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kenneth-riley/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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