Richard Short was a Cornish artist and writer whose life and work were deeply intertwined with maritime themes. Born in St Ives, Cornwall, on December 29, 1841, he came from a family with strong nautical ties; his grandfather, John Tregerthen Short, was a master mariner who established a Navigation School in their hometown. Short eventually relocated to Cardiff, Wales, where he developed his artistic and literary career.\n\nAt the turn of the twentieth century, Short explored historical fiction, publishing his novel Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus in 1900. Despite this literary venture, he focused primarily on the visual arts. By 1901, he had established himself as a professional artist specializing in maritime scenes. His paintings depicted a variety of coastal locales, including Welsh scenes around Cardiff and Penarth, as well as international subjects from Corsica and the Bosphorus. His contributions to regional art are recognized today by institutions such as Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, which preserves five of his paintings in its collection. Short passed away on December 16, 1919.
