James Queen, the premier Philadelphia artist, lithographer, and chromolithographer, known for his attention to detail and composition, was born in Philadelphia 1820 or 1821. Son of William Queen, a cordwainer, he began his career in lithography at around 14 years of age with an apprenticeship to George Lehman and P. S. Duval (whom he would associate his entire career) on November 24, 1835. Apprenticed for five years, Queen began to design lithographs of all genres for Duval, including illustrations for his "U.S. Military Magazine" (1840-1841), advertisements, sheet music, and city views, in the early 1840s. During this period, he also married Sarah (Sally) Harvey (b. ca. 1826) in 1843 with whom he had three daughters Emma (b. ca. 1845), Mary (b. 1850), and Elizabeth (b. ca. 1858) and resided in his home neighborhood of Southwark.

By the middle of the 1840s, Queen began to work with Duval's main business rival Wagner & McGuigan as well, including drawing a ca. 1847 advertisement showing the interior of their firm. Nonetheless, the majority of his work continued to be printed by Duval. Working from his own sketches, other artists' works, and drawing directly on the stone, Queen produced with Duval certificates (particularly agricultural fairs), fashion prints, church views, and the noted genre views "Shad Fishing" (1855) and "Souvenir of the Coldest Winter on Record" (1856). As a result of these diverse skills, in 1861, Duval made Queen the superintendent of his drawing department. By this time, the artist owned personal property worth $400 and his own home worth $1800 at 812 Wharton Street.

Queen continued his success in the trade in the 1860s. Despite enlistment in the Pennsylvania Militia during the summers of 1862 and 1863, he designed firefighting scenes for certificates and several Civil War related views. Queen's Civil War work showcased his skills for details and he served as the prime artist for most of the fundraising chromolithographs of the era, including views of Cooper Shop and Union volunteer refreshment saloons (many printed by Thomas Sinclair), hospitals, soldiers, and armories. He also delineated a series of patriotic, sentimental and comic collecting cards after the designs of Henry L. Stephens during this period. By 1864, Queen earned enough income to be taxed by the I. R. S. and Duval enlisted his "best artist" to draw the highly-regarded chromolithograph "Buildings of the Great Central Fair, in Aid of the U. S. Sanitary Commission Logan Square, Philadelphia, June 1864," printed on the grounds of the fair as a fund raiser and to promote the still novel color print process in the city.
Queen did not only delineate separately-issued prints and views of Philadelphia between the 1840s and 1860s, but also views of Pennsylvania, Niagara Falls, and Virginia in addition to portraits and illustrations for congressional documents and books. He also maintained a study collection of prints, including British and French lithographs and specimens of photolithographs.

Despite his prolific output in the trade, Queen also found time for benevolent work. Queen was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows as well as the Weccacoe Engine Company, which he depicted in ca. 1851 and 1860 certificates. This benevolence also extended to his personal life and he shared his Southwark residence with his sister-in-law and nephew by 1860.
Queen resided in Southwark most of his life, first with his parents at 489 South Second Street (i.e., below Catherine Street), then Third Street above Federal Street by 1847; and 409 South Second Street and 533 Queen Street during the 1850s before relocating to Wharton Street in 1860.
By 1870, Queen continued to live at 812 Wharton Street, and owned real estate worth $7000 and personal property worth $1000. He also predominately worked as a chromolithographer, including designing an advertisement for fellow lithographer Ferdinand Moras's establishment. Soon thereafter, his chromolithographic work would focus on genre, sentimental and art reproductions for parlor prints, initially with Duval & Hunter (successors to Duval) and later with prolific chromo publisher Joseph Hoover. As of the 1880 census, Queen listed his occupation as "chromo-artist," he was a widower, and he headed a household with a servant at 724 Pine Street (his residence since 1874).

Queen died on January 15, 1886 from multiple sclerosis, four years after receiving a $60,000 bequest from his successful, publisher brother Francis. At the time of his death, Queen bequeathed $500 worth of railroad stock to a family friend, voided promissory notes owed by his former employers P. S. and Stephen Duval, and owned real estate worth $20,000 and personal property worth $12,500.