author
Arthur Stanley Riggs
1879–1952
Known for lively biographies of Titian and Velázquez, this American writer moved easily between art history, journalism, travel writing, and naval service. His career took him from newspaper work and European reporting to books on painters, war, and history.
1 Audiobook
Vistas in Sicily
by Arthur Stanley Riggs
About the author
Born in New York City in 1879, Arthur Stanley Riggs worked in several fields before building a reputation as a writer and editor. He began in business, then turned to journalism, including reporting work for The New York Times, and later developed a strong interest in European art and history.
Riggs is best remembered for biographies of Titian and Velázquez, books that helped introduce major Old Masters to a broad English-speaking audience. He also wrote travel and wartime works, showing a range that went well beyond art history.
His life included military service as well as writing. He first served with the fleet in 1898 and later served again through the U.S. Naval Reserve, and his papers are preserved by the Library of Congress. He died on November 8, 1952.