Maryland. Maryland is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
The Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding environment have been popular subjects for landscape painters such as Albert Bierstadt and William H. Bartlett. Artists like Thomas Birch and Francis Guy portrayed the state's bustling cities, such as Baltimore, emphasizing the busy harbors and maritime life.
In the 20th century, artists such as Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence captured elements of African American history and culture in Baltimore, which was a hub for African American artists and intellectuals. Maryland borders Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to its east, and the national capital of Washington, D.C.
to the southwest. With a total area of 12,407 square miles, Maryland is the ninth-smallest state by land area, and its population of 6,177,224 ranks it the 19th-most populous state and the fifth-most densely populated.
Maryland's capital is Annapolis, and the most populous city is Baltimore. Maryland's coastline was first explored by Europeans in the 16th century. Prior to that, it was inhabited by several Native American tribes, mostly the Algonquian peoples. As one of the original Thirteen Colonies, Maryland was founded by George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, a Catholic convert who sought to provide a religious haven for Catholics