author
William James Stillman
1828–1901
A restless 19th-century observer who moved from landscape painting into journalism, diplomacy, and photography, leaving behind a vivid record of art, politics, and conflict. His life and work sit at the crossroads of American culture and the wider Mediterranean world.
5 Audiobooks
Billy and Hans, My Squirrel Friends: A True History
by William James Stillman
The Autobiography of a Journalist, Volume II
by William James Stillman
The Cretan Insurrection of 1866-7-8
by William James Stillman
On the track of Ulysses; Together with an excursion in quest of the so-called Venus of Melos Two studies in archaeology, made during a cruise among the Greek islands
by William James Stillman
The Autobiography of a Journalist, Volume I
by William James Stillman
About the author
Born in Schenectady, New York, in 1828, he was educated at Union College and first trained as an artist. He became associated with the circle around John Ruskin and developed an early reputation as a landscape painter before his career widened in striking ways.
Over time, he worked as a journalist, author, diplomat, historian, and photographer. He is especially remembered for reporting from Crete and the Balkans, often using his own photographs alongside his writing, and for the unusually varied perspective that came from moving between art, politics, and international affairs.
Stillman died in 1901. His memoir, The Autobiography of a Journalist, helps preserve the story of a life that ranged across painting, war correspondence, and public service, making him an intriguing figure for readers interested in the many worlds of the 19th century.