author
1878–1932
Known for lively sketchbooks and atmospheric etchings, this Welsh-born artist and writer turned travels through Europe and the Middle East into vivid books and prints. His work blends careful observation with a strong sense of place, making cities and streets feel immediate and alive.
Born in Newport, Monmouthshire, in 1878, Fred Richards studied art locally before winning a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London. Although he began as a painter, he was guided toward etching by Sir Frank Short, and he went on to exhibit at the Royal Academy and become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers.
Richards built a reputation through both pictures and books. He produced drawings for the Oxford Sketch Book series and created travel-themed works on places including Eton, Windsor, Florence, Venice, and Rome. He also wrote A Persian Journey, illustrated with drawings made during months spent in Persia, showing how closely his writing and visual art worked together.
Later in life he taught at the Royal College of Art and then spent several years based in Egypt, working on subjects from the Near East and exhibiting abroad. He died in 1932. A clear, verified portrait image was not available from the sources I could confirm during this search, so no profile image is included.