author
J. Cyril M. (James Cyril M.) Weale
A journalist, editor, and literary worker with an unusually international life, he wrote concise art books that introduced readers to painters such as Van Eyck and Memlinc. His background in reporting and research gave his work a clear, practical style.
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About the author
Born in Bruges, Belgium, on December 22, 1857, he was the son of archaeologist William Henry James Weale and Helena Amelia Walton. A contemporary reference describes him as John Cyril Marie des Anges Weale, educated at the College of St. Louis in Bruges.
His career moved across countries and occupations. After going to England in 1878, he worked as a London correspondent for the Courrier de Bruxelles, then moved to Sydney in 1882 because of ill health. There he became editor, and later part owner, of The Express. Other records describe him more broadly as an editor, translator, proofreader, researcher, and poet.
Readers are most likely to know him through books such as Van Eyck and Memlinc, both preserved by Project Gutenberg. Those works reflect his lasting interest in art history, especially the great painters of the Low Countries, and they still give modern readers a compact introduction to his subjects.