Milne Ramsey was born in Philadelphia to a family of Scottish descent. He entered the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1863 and exhibited there from 1865 to 1867; he also studied with Léon Bonnat (1833–1922) in Paris for five years beginning in 1867. In all Ramsey spent approximately ten years in Europe, where he painted many landscapes and some narrative scenes of Brittany and Normandy. By 1882 Ramsey was sharing a studio with Edward Moran (1829–1901) at 705 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. In that same year he was part of a major show at the Pennsylvania Academy that included ninety two paintings, mainly landscapes of Brittany. He also exhibited regularly at the National Academy of Design in New York. Ramsey maintained studios in New York and Atlantic City for a number of years but in 1900 returned permanently to Philadelphia, where his studio was in the Haseltine Building at 1418 Chestnut Street. Ramsey specialized in still lifes of fruit, flowers, and game in a style inspired by eighteenth century French still lifes, especially those of Jean Baptiste Siméon Chardin (1699–1779). Charles Haseltine, a contemporary Philadelphia art dealer, sold Ramsey’s works for high prices to major local collectors. Reference: William H. Gerdts, Milne Ramsey (1846–1915): Still Lifes and Landscape Paintings [exh. cat., Chapellier Galleries] (New York, 1974).