Ernest Henry Short

Ernest Henry Short (1875–1959) was a British author and journalist who wrote across an unusually broad range of subjects. Records link him with journalism and with The Argus of Melbourne, and his books show a lasting interest in explaining art and culture to general readers in a straightforward way.

He is best known for works such as A History of Sculpture, The Painter in History, A History of Religious Architecture, and A History of British Painting. He also wrote on theatre and entertainment, including Fifty Years of Vaudeville, which suggests how comfortably he moved between fine art, architecture, and popular performance.

That mix gives his writing a distinctive charm. Rather than staying in one narrow field, he seems to have been drawn to the bigger story of how people make, see, and enjoy art in many forms.