金城家学渊源，对古器物字画收藏甚富。兄弟姐妹早年都游学欧美。他本人亦在英国伦敦铿司大学攻读法律，曾道经美国、法国，考察法制兼及美术。回国后初任上海公共租界会审廨襄谳委员，后被聘为编订法制馆、协修奏补大理院刑科推事、监造法庭工程处会办。

1910年（清宣统二年 庚戌）法部派金城充美洲万国监狱改良会代表，中华民国成立后，任众议院议员、国务秘书、参与筹备古物陈列所，倡议将故宫内库及承德行宫所藏金石、书画于武英殿陈列展览，供广大群众和画家们研究学习。

由于金城对于传统绘画的爱好，展览期间，日携笔研坐，刻苦钻研，并不断地临摹古代佳作珍品。金城初学戴熙的精细笔法，后接近陆廉夫画风。他的山水、花鸟、人物都有古意。

1918年（民国七年 戊午），与周肇祥、陈师曾等在北京筹建中国画学研究会，许多有绘画基础的青年聚集在画学研究会，由金城讲授古代绘画之成就，他竭力提倡保存国粹，临摹画稿，一笔不苟。金城的作品大都仿古、师古，在古人的意境中徘徊。晚年有些写生之作，比之前期的临摹作品，显得富有生气。

1910（清宣统二年 庚戌） 年他创立了闻名遐尔的中国画学研究会，担任中国画学研究会会长。

1920（民国九年 庚申） 年金城发起成立湖社画会。著名近代画家马晋、陈少梅、田世光等皆出身于他的门下。

1926年起每隔一年举办一次的中日绘画联合展览会在日本举办，金城受日本画家邀请，赴日参加展览，受到日本画家的欢迎。

他去世后，画学研究会的部分会员为纪念他，于1927年由他的儿子金潜庵发起组织湖社画会。并编辑出版半月刊《湖社》，后改为月刊，刊登社员及名人作品，介绍古代名画，宣传维护传统画法。湖社影响很大，成员几乎遍及全国，盛极一时。

 金城是一位传统功力极为深厚的画家，擅长山水、花鸟，师法宋元，笔墨谨严，以工带写有《藕庐诗草》、《北楼论画》、《画学讲义》。收录了金城传世画作130余幅，并著有金城的生平概述、绘画艺术特色评述与研究，以及金城本人的论艺文章摘选，和各家评论摘录。另有年表简编，并附有常用印、主要传世作品目录等。

金城是一位颇有革新思想的艺术家，他的绘画发展，大体可以分为三个时期：28岁以前，他的创作以古人为师，临摹为主，大量临习了宗元、吴恽、四王等人的精品之作，为以后的绘画创作，打下了坚实的基础。29岁-45岁这个时期，他的作品仍然以临摹古人为主，兼有创作。46岁以后，金城先生进入了他的创作艺术的高峰时期，作品数量大增。

金城是中国画家中较早接触西画者。他留学的世纪初，正是法国印象派影响欧洲艺术的盛期，这对西方艺术怀有浓厚兴趣的金城产生了影响。

 Jincheng(1878-1926), Chinese modern painter. The word Gongbei, a word Gongbei, formerly known as Shaocheng, No. Beilou, also known as Wuhu, was originally from Wuxing County, Zhejiang Province. Born in Beijing, died in Shanghai on September 6, 1926. Born in Shuxiangmen, he was naturally fond of painting since childhood, and he was able to paint flowers and birds. Because there was no teacher preaching, he was at home copying the paintings of ancient celebrities in the family. Later, the paintings and paintings could be confusing.

Jincheng family origin, very rich collection of ancient artifacts and paintings. Brothers and sisters studied in Europe and the United States in their early years. He himself also studied law at the University of London in London, England. He had studied the legal system and fine arts through the United States and France. After returning to China, he was appointed as a member of the Shanghai Public Concession Committee, and was later appointed as a member of the Legal Affairs Bureau, a coordinator of the Dali Academy, and a supervisor of the court office.

In 1910(the second year of Qing Xuantong), the Ministry of Justice sent Jincheng to fill the representative of the American Prison Reform Association. After the establishment of the Republic of China, he served as a member of the House of Representatives, a secretary of state, and participated in the preparation of the Antiquities Exhibition Center. He proposed that the Imperial Palace's library and the Chengde Palace should be preserved. The stone, calligraphy and painting are exhibited in Wuyingdianchenlie, For the masses and painters to study and study.

Due to Jincheng's hobby for traditional painting, during the exhibition, he took pen research, studied hard, and constantly copied ancient masterpieces. Jincheng learned Dai Xi's fine brushwork and later approached Lulianfu's style. His landscapes, flowers and birds, and characters all have ancient meanings.

In 1918(the 7th year of the Republic of China), together with Zhouzhaoxiang and Chenshiceng, they established the Chinese Painting Research Association in Beijing. Many young people with a painting foundation gathered in the Painting Research Association and taught the achievements of ancient paintings by Jincheng. He tried his best to promote the preservation of the country., copy the manuscript, do not pay. Most of Jincheng's works are antique and ancient, and they linger in the artistic conception of the ancients. In his later years, some sketches were more lively than the previous works.

In 1910(the second year of Qing Xuantong), he founded the famous Chinese Painting Research Association and served as the president of the Chinese Painting Research Association.

1920(Gengshen in the 9th year of the Republic of China) Jincheng initiated the establishment of the Hushe Painting Society. The famous modern painters Ma Jin, Li Chenshaomei, and Tianshiguang were all born under his door.

The Sino-Japanese Painting Joint Exhibition, which was held every other year since 1926, was held in Japan. Jincheng was invited by Japanese painters to participate in the exhibition in Japan and was welcomed by Japanese painters.

After his death, some members of the Painting Research Association commemorated him. In 1927, his son Jinqianan initiated the organization of the Lake Society. He also edited and published the semi-monthly "Lake Club", which was later changed to a monthly magazine, published members 'and celebrities' works, introduced ancient famous paintings, and promoted and maintained traditional painting methods. The lake club has a great influence and its members are almost all over the country.