George Collingridge

Born in 1847 in England, George Collingridge was educated in Paris and later served with the Papal Zouaves before emigrating to Australia in 1879. In Sydney he built a varied career as an artist, illustrator, teacher, and writer.

He worked across painting, drawing, and art instruction, and also wrote on language and history. He became especially well known for arguing that the Portuguese had reached Australia in the 16th century, a claim he set out in The Discovery of Australia and one that kept his name in historical discussions long after his own time.

Collingridge died in 1931. Today he is remembered as a curious, energetic figure whose career joined art, education, and historical speculation in an unusually wide-ranging way.