Johan Ross the Elder

Johan Ross the Elder (1695 – March 26, 1773) was a Swedish painter.

Ross was born in Schleswig-Holstein. His father was a painter and taught him the trade. He was first mentioned in 1721 when he listed as a journeyman in Götheborgs Arts and Painters - Embete. It also documents that he was a journeyman in his office in Hamburg. After his request for membership in the Gothenburg guild was refused, he traveled to Stockholm to continue his painting in 1730.

Ross had several assignments in the Gothenburg region during the 1730s, and in 1730 he was doing extensive material rings and decorative works of the Great Lundby church. In 1732, he appeared in Askim, and Örgryte in 1736 he painted window frames and barge boards. The colleagues in Gothenburg saw his independent intrusion into town with anxiety and irritability, and in 1737 invited Ross to join the ministry under the regulations of the guilds. He was named a "Painter in Gothenburg" on July 9, 1737 by resolution of the Royal Majesty and Reich Höglofl Commerce Collegium, and was alderman in the Gothenburg painters guild from 1744 to 1767, after which he took leave.

Ross married Helena Sibuelen in June 1751. He was the father of church painter Maria Ross, who in 1744 married the church painter Michael Carowsky, and the grandfather of Christina Elisabeth Carowsky. He was also the brother of Ditloff Ross, a church painter in Borås.

The ceiling paintings in Örgryte old church is likely made around 1740 by Ross and his son-in-law journeyman Michael Carowsky, who assisted in the painting of the church. Carowsy became master painter in Gothenburg in 1742. Ross, however, was the one who was asked to perform "painting throughout himlingen, bleachers and seats" for 400 daler silver. The roof surface in Sävedalens church is covered with twelve large rectangular paintings, where the six eastern painted for the church extension in 1737 were probably by John Ross. A bust in Gothenburg City Museum is believed to be a self-portrait of Ross.

Ross was also an art collector. His estate inventory from 1749 was about 100 paintings and a collection of 700 prints, with names such as Peter Paul Rubens and Rembrandt occur. Many of the fabrics were probably Ross' own works, but most appear to have been acquired through purchase, exchange or inheritance. The collection allowed Ross excellent opportunities to study various designs, compositions, techniques and color selection.