author

Sidney Dickinson

1851–1919

An American-born art critic and journalist who helped shape cultural debate in Australia in the late nineteenth century, he championed serious local art at a time when Australian painting was still finding its voice. His career ranged from lectures and criticism to magazine reporting in Australia, Britain, and the United States.

1 Audiobook

True Tales of the Weird: a record of personal experiences of the supernatural

True Tales of the Weird: a record of personal experiences of the supernatural

by Sidney Dickinson

About the author

Sidney Dickinson (1851–1919) was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts, and built a career as a lecturer, journalist, and art critic. In the 1880s he became known in America for writing and speaking about art before moving to Australia in 1888 with his wife, Marion.

In Sydney and Melbourne, he quickly became part of the cultural scene. He lectured on art, served as honorary secretary of the Victorian Artists' Society, and wrote criticism that argued Australian artists should look closely at the life and landscape around them. He is especially remembered for encouraging the emerging Heidelberg school and for pushing for more thoughtful standards in art criticism.

Dickinson also wrote for overseas publications, including American newspapers and magazines, helping introduce Australian subjects to readers abroad. After leaving Melbourne in 1893, he returned to the United States and continued working as a journalist and lecturer. He died in Oberlin, Ohio, in 1919 after an accident involving a streetcar.