author
Robert Baldwin Ross
1869–1918
A sharp-eyed critic and loyal friend at the heart of late Victorian literary life, he is remembered above all for protecting Oscar Wilde's work and reputation after Wilde's downfall. His own career moved through journalism, art criticism, and dealing, making him a lively presence in London's cultural world.
2 Audiobooks
Aubrey Beardsley
by Robert Baldwin Ross
Masques & Phases
by Robert Baldwin Ross
About the author
Born in Tours, France, on May 25, 1869, into a prominent Canadian family, Robert Baldwin Ross was educated in England and became known in literary circles as Robbie Ross. He worked as a journalist, art critic, and art dealer, and built a reputation as an intelligent, well-connected figure in London's artistic world.
Ross is most closely linked with Oscar Wilde. He was one of Wilde's closest friends and later served as Wilde's literary executor, helping preserve, edit, and champion Wilde's writing after the trials and imprisonment that shattered Wilde's public life. That work played a major part in keeping Wilde's name and books before readers.
Beyond Wilde, Ross was a respected man of letters in his own right and a supporter of other writers and artists. He died in London on October 5, 1918, but his place in literary history remains secure through the loyalty, judgment, and persistence with which he defended one of the great authors of his age.