author
Louis A. (Louis Arthur) Holman
1866–1939
A Canadian-born illustrator, print dealer, and writer, he helped shape Boston’s world of books and prints while also publishing works on artists, etching, and literary subjects. His long-running fascination with John Keats adds an especially human note to a career built around images, books, and careful looking.
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About the author
Born on Prince Edward Island in 1866, he began in the bookselling and publishing trade in Canada before moving to Boston in 1889. There he studied at the Cowles Art School under Charles Woodbury and built a career that crossed several worlds at once: illustrator, art editor, author, and expert in prints.
He became closely associated with Goodspeed's Book Shop, where he established a print department in 1915. After leaving Goodspeed's in 1930, he opened Holman's Print Shop, continuing his work as a dealer and advocate for prints. His published books include studies of etching and printmaking, along with volumes on artists such as Rembrandt and Albrecht Dürer.
He also devoted many years to collecting material related to John Keats, creating a substantial archive of Keats iconography and related papers. That blend of scholarship, visual taste, and practical knowledge of books and prints helps explain why his name still appears in library, museum, and archival collections today.