author
Sidney Colvin
1845–1927
A lively Victorian man of letters, he moved easily between art, literature, and museum work. Best known today for his friendship with Robert Louis Stevenson, he also helped shape the study of prints and drawings in Britain.
2 Audiobooks
Keats
by Sidney Colvin
About the author
Born in Norwood, Surrey, in 1845, Sidney Colvin studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, and went on to build a career as a scholar, critic, and museum administrator. He served as Slade Professor of Fine Art at Cambridge and directed the Fitzwilliam Museum before moving to the British Museum.
From 1884 to 1912 he was Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum, where he became an important figure in the world of art history and collecting. He also wrote widely on literature and art, contributing essays and reference works that helped introduce readers to major writers and artists.
Colvin is especially remembered for his close friendship with Robert Louis Stevenson. He edited Stevenson’s letters and works after the novelist’s death, helping preserve and shape the writer’s legacy for later generations. He died in London in 1927.