author
Arthur Davison Ficke
1883–1945
Best known for polished lyric poems and a mischievous literary prank, this American writer moved easily between careful craftsmanship and playful satire. He also built a strong reputation as a collector and interpreter of Japanese art.
3 Audiobooks
Chats on Japanese Prints
by Arthur Davison Ficke
Mr. Faust
by Arthur Davison Ficke
Spectra: A Book of Poetic Experiments
by Arthur Davison Ficke, Witter Bynner
About the author
Born in Davenport, Iowa, in 1883, Arthur Davison Ficke grew up in a cultured, well-off family and went on to study at Harvard. He later trained in law and worked in his father's practice, but poetry remained at the center of his life.
Ficke became known as a prolific poet, playwright, and critic, admired in his day for the musical control of his verse and especially for his sonnets. He is also remembered for the Spectra hoax, a witty collaboration with Witter Bynner that poked fun at literary fashions while becoming a minor sensation of its own.
Alongside his writing, he developed deep expertise in Japanese art, an interest that shaped both his collecting and his wider cultural reputation. He died in 1945, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both elegance of form and a surprising sense of humor.