# List of Australian art critics (news periodicals)

This is a sortable list of Australian art critics who wrote for newspapers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, a period in which such periodicals carried the majority of current, contemporaneous art criticism, before most such papers ceased art reviews in the 21st century.
Hamilton writes to distinguish this genre:
   ...criticism that appears in newspapers is written for a general audience, and the real substance of newspaper art criticism can best be summed up as providing an antidote for the 'vernacular glance'. This term, coined by art historian Brian O'Doherty in 1974, refers to the modern phenomenon of viewing an exhibition casually, with eyes darting indiscriminately from object to object in an ineffectual effort to take in the entire exhibition at once. The work of the critic is effectively to map an exhibition for an audience, and thereby transform the vernacular glance into an informed glance that is capable of discerning either meaning or emptiness in the work on show.
Barker and Green, noting the number of art critics writing for newspapers in the 1970s, consider that 'this writing was essentially ephemeral, based on the assessment of the wide spectrum of ... exclusively local, art exhibitions. It was essentially a form of reportage.
In 2012 Osborne noticed a general devaluing and disparagement of the newspaper critic and warned that:
   ... the progressively weakened position of newspaper art criticism and the threat of it disappearing altogether from mass market newspapers ... could have far-reaching repercussions ... a nodal rupture in the network of relationships between the art world and the wider public. The complex ecology of the art world needs this link with the wider public. It needs a healthy balance between critical writing in art journals and newspapers.
Australian nineteenth- and twentieth-century newspaper and magazine critics. :
| Name | Life | Newspaper or magazine | Dates | Gender |
| Bruce Adams | 1950– | The Australian | 1972–74 | M |
| Bruce Adams | 1950– | The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney) | 1972–74 | M |
| Christopher Allen | 1953– | Australian Financial Review | 2005–2008 | M |
| Mary Cecil Allen | 1893–1962 | The Sun News-Pictorial | 1925 | F |
| Christopher Allen | 1953– | The Australian | 2008> | M |
| Christopher Allen | 1953– | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1987–1991 | M |
| Julian Howard Ashton | 1877–1964 | The Argus | 1910–11 | M |
| Julian Howard Ashton | 1877–1964 | Sydney Sun | c.1912–c.1936 | M |
| Giles Auty | 1934–2020 | The Australian | 1995–2001 | M |
| Harold John Baily | 1927–2015 | Sunday Mail (S.A.) | 1963–64 | M |
| George Bell | 1878–1966 | The Sun News-Pictorial | 1923–50 | M |
| Peter Richard Bellew | 1912–1986 | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1939–42 | M |
| George Courtney Benson | 1886–1960 | The West Australian | 1931>? | M |
| Simon Blond | | The West Australian | 2002-4 | M |
| Nancy Borlase | 1914– | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1973–81 | F |
| Nancy Borlase | 1914– | The Bulletin | 1972–73 | F |
| Stephanie Britton | | The News (S.A.) | 1971–77 | F |
| Stephanie Britton | | Sunday Mail (S.A.) | 1980 | F |
| David Bromfield | 1947–2024 | The West Australian | late 80s–1990s | M |
| Donald Brook | 1927–2018 | Canberra Times | c.1964–65 | M |
| Donald Brook | 1927–2018 | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1968–1973? | M |
| Basil Burdett | 1897–1942 | Brisbane Daily Mail | 1919–21 | M |
| Basil Burdett | 1897–1942 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1936 | M |
| Carolyn Burke | 1940–1989 | Various international, incl. The New York Times | 1990> | F |
| Charles William Bush | 1919–1989 | The Australian | 1966 | M |
| Jean Campbell | 1901–1984 | The Advertiser | 1952–1974 | F |
| Jean Campbell | 1901–1984 | The Courier-Mail | 1952–1974? | F |
| Tom Carrington | 1843–1918 | The Argus | >1918 | M |
| Tom Carrington | 1843–1918 | The Australasian | 1889 | M |
| Gary Catalano | 1947–2002 | The Age | 1985–1990 | M |
| Jack Cato | 1889-1971 | The Age | 1960-63 | M |
| Harold Pierce Cazneaux | 1878–1953 | Sydney Mail | ?? | M |
| Harold Pierce Cazneaux | 1878–1953 | The Lone Hand | ?? | M |
| Dora Chapman | 1911–1995 | The Advertiser | 1958–69 | F |
| Anna Clabburn | | The Age | 1997-1999 | F |
| Alexander Colquhoun | 1862–1941 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1914–1922 | M |
| Alexander Colquhoun | 1862–1941 | The Age | 1926–1941 | M |
| Arthur Vollens Cook | 1909–1967 | The Age | 1946–57 | M |
| William Edward James Cook | 1904–1960 | Daily Telegraph | 1952–1959 | M |
| Professor Charles Gordon Cooper | ? | The Courier-Mail | c.1940s | M |
| Sue Cramer | | The Age | | F |
| Elizabeth Cross | 1943– | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1990s | F |
| Elizabeth Cross | 1943– | The Age | ?? | F |
| Geoffrey de Groen | 1938– | Canberra Times | 1973–77 | M |
| Geoffrey de Groen | 1938– | National Times | 1973–77 | M |
| Lyn Di Cerio | | The West Australian | 2009-2023 | F |
| Sidney Dickinson | 1851–1919 | Australasian Critic | 1889–91 | M |
| David Dolan | 1949–2011 | The Advertiser | 1977–80 | M |
| David Dolan | 1949–2011 | Sunday Mail (S.A.) | 1974–77 | M |
| Geoffrey Dutton | 1922–1998 | The News (S.A.) | 1958–62 | M |
| Mary Eagle | 1944 | The Age | 1977–1980 | F |
| Ruth Faerber | 1922 | Australian Jewish Times | 1970s | F |
| Beatrice Faust | 1939–2019 | The Age | 1970s | F |
| Beatrice Faust | 1939–2019 | National Times | 1970s | F |
| Frank Fitzgerald | 1922–2017 | The Argus | c.1940 | M |
| Ivor Francis | 1906–1993 | The News (S.A.) | 1944–1955 | M |
| Ivor Francis | 1906–1993 | Sunday Mail (S.A.) | 1964–74 | M |
| Ivor Francis | 1906–1993 | The Advertiser | 1974–76 | M |
| Freda Freiberg | 1933–2024 | The Age | 1990s | F |
| Andrew Frost | | Guardian Australia | Current | M |
| H.E. Fuller | | The Advertiser | 1931-52 | M |
| Ann Galbally | 1945– | The Age | 1970s | F |
| Benjamin Genocchio | 1969– | The Australian | 1998–2002 | M |
| Esmond George | 1888–1959 | Sunday Mail (S.A.) | 1946–c.1966 | M |
| James Gleeson | 1915–2008 | Sun-Herald | 1962–74 | M |
| James Gleeson | 1915–2008 | Sydney Sun | 1949–74 | M |
| Craig Gough | 1938– | Sunday Times (WA) | 1972–73 | M |
| Sasha Grishin | 1950– | Canberra Times | 1977–2023 | M |
| Paul Haefliger | 1914–1982 | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1941–1957 | M |
| Charles (‘C.G.’) Hamilton | 1874–1967 | West Australian | 1946-64 | M |
| William Hannon | 1932–2020 | The Bulletin | 1960–65 | M |
| Royston Harpur | 1938–2023 | Sydney Observer | 1960 | M |
| Royston Harpur | 1938–2023 | The Australian | 1971 | M |
| Henry Bromilow Harrison | 1878–1948 | The Argus | 1912–1943 | M |
| Henry Bromilow Harrison | 1878–1948 | The Australian | ?? | M |
| Christopher Heathcote | | The Age | 1990s | M |
| Edward Bonaventura Heffernan | 1912 | Geelong Advertiser | 1966–74 | M |
| Paul Heinrich | | The Age | 1970s–1980s | M |
| Paul Heinrich | | The National Times | 1980s | M |
| John George Henshaw | 1929–2006 | The Australian | 1969–70 | M |
| Harold Herbert | 1891–1945 | The Sun News-Pictorial | c1936> | M |
| Harold Herbert | 1891–1945 | The Argus | c1936> | M |
| Harold Herbert | 1891–1945 | The Australasian | 1927–1934... | M |
| Harold Herbert | 1891–1945 | The Australasian | c.1932 | M |
| Memory Holloway | 1946– | The Melbourne Times | 1977–78 | F |
| Memory Holloway | 1946– | The Australian | 1978–81 | F |
| Memory Holloway | 1946– | The Age | 1982–86 | F |
| Robert Hughes | 1938–2012 | The Age | 1963–c.1970 | M |
| Robert Hughes | 1938–2012 | Sydney Observer | 1958–59 | M |
| Robert Hughes | 1938–2012 | Nation Review | 1959–1963 | M |
| Robert Hughes | 1938–2012 | Sunday Mirror | 1963 | M |
| Pamela Irving | 1960– | Geelong Advertiser | c.1980s | F |
| Michael Hutak | | The Bulletin | 1999–2007 | M |
| Michael Hutak | | The Sydney Morning Herald | >1997 | M |
| Patrick Hutchings | 1929– | The Bulletin | 1961... | M |
| Lou Klepac | 1936– | The News (S.A.) | 1967–70 | M |
| Gertrude Langer | 1908–1984 | The Courier-Mail | 1953–1984 | F |
| G. Ross Lansell | ? | Nation Review | 1966–67 | M |
| G. Ross Lansell | ? | Daily Telegraph | 1967–78 | M |
| Adrian Lawlor | 1889–1969 | The Bulletin | 1921–23 | M |
| Percy Leason | 1889–1959 | Table Talk | 1929–1933... | M |
| Malcolm (Mal) John Sewart Leckie | 1952 | Goldcoast City Bulletin | 1978 | M |
| Raymond Lindsay | 1903–1960 | Daily Telegraph | 1940> | M |
| Lionel Lindsay | 1874–1961 | The Bulletin | 1890s–1900s | M |
| Lionel Lindsay | 1874–1961 | The Lone Hand | 1907–21 | M |
| Lionel Lindsay | 1874–1961 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1935 | M |
| Norman Lindsay | 1879–1969 | The Lone Hand | Occasional c.1907–21 | M |
| Marie Therese Loureiro | ?–1907 | The Age | late 1800s | F |
| John Samuel Loxton | 1903–1971 | The Argus | 1947–48 | M |
| Elwyn Lynn | 1917–1997 | Nation Review | 1969 | M |
| Elwyn Lynn | 1917–1997 | Sunday Mirror | 1963 | M |
| Elwyn Lynn | 1917–1997 | The Australian | | M |
| Elwyn Lynn | 1917–1997 | The Bulletin | 1966–1973 | M |
| James Stuart MacDonald | 1878–1952 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1923... | M |
| James Stuart MacDonald | 1878–1952 | The Age | 1943–47 | M |
| Norman Macgeorge | 1872–1952 | Herald (Melbourne) | Late 1930s | M |
| Marguerite Mahood | 1901–1989 | Radio and Listener In | Mid-1920s | F |
| Jeffrey Makin | 1943 | The Sun News-Pictorial | 1972–87, 1997– | M |
| Terence Maloon | 1950– | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1982–1987 | M |
| John Baxter Mather | 1853–1940 | The Advertiser | 1889–1904 | M |
| Patrick McCaughey | 1942– | The Age | 1966–69 1971–74 | M |
| Alan McLeod McCulloch | 1907–1992 | The Argus | 1944–1947 | M |
| Alan McLeod McCulloch | 1907–1992 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1951–1981 | M |
| Susan McCulloch | 1949– | The Age | 1980s | F |
| Susan McCulloch | 1949– | The Sun News-Pictorial | 1980s | F |
| Susan McCulloch | 1949– | The Australian | 1994–2004 | F |
| Susan McCulloch | 1949– | The Bulletin | 1980s | F |
| John McDonald | 1961 | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1987–2017 ? | M |
| Robert McFarlane | 1942-2023 | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1970s-1990s | M |
| Sandra McGrath | ?? | The Australian | 1972 | F |
| Sandra McGrath | ?? | The Bulletin | occasional | F |
| Colin MacInnes | 1914–1976 | London Observer | 1948–50 | M |
| Arthur McIntyre | 1945–2003 | The Australian | 1977–78 | M |
| Arthur McIntyre | 1945–2003 | The Age | 1980s | M |
| Alan Lester McIntyre | 1913–2002 | Examiner | 1960s? | M |
| Alan Lester McIntyre | 1913–2002 | The Bulletin | pre-WW2 | M |
| Alan Lester McIntyre | 1913–2002 | Smiths Weekly | pre-WW2 | M |
| Thomas Firmin McKinnon | 1878–1953 | The Courier-Mail | 1940s–1950s | M |
| Matthew James McNally | 1874–1943 | Daily Telegraph | occasional | M |
| Matthew James McNally | 1874–1943 | The News (South Australia) | occasional | M |
| Matthew James McNally | 1874–1943 | The Mail (South Australia) | occasional | M |
| Ian North | | The News (South Australia) | 1971–72 1974 | M |
| Joanna Mendelssohn | 1949– | The Bulletin | 1988> | F |
| Hilary (nee Hunter) Merrifield | | West Australian | 1960s | F |
| Ronald Grenville Millar | 1927 | The Australian | 1965–70 | M |
| Ronald Grenville Millar | 1927 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1965 1981–93 | M |
| William Moore | 1868–1937 | The Courier-Mail | c.1919> | M |
| William Moore | 1868–1937 | Daily Telegraph | c.1919> | M |
| William Moore | 1868–1937 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1904> | M |
| Robert Nelson | 1957– | The Age | 1984–1990s | M |
| Greg Neville | 1951– | The Age | 1990–1993 | M |
| Gino Nibbi | 1896–1969 | Herald (Melbourne) | occasional | M |
| Clifton Thomas Almont Peir | 1905–1985 | The Sunday Mirror | 1961–62 | M |
| Tony Perry | ? | The Age | 1978–1981 | M |
| Ernest Sidney Philpot | 1906–1985 | Sunday Times (WA) | 1961–65 | M |
| William Pidgeon | 1909–1981 | Daily Telegraph | 1974–1979 | M |
| Margaret Plant | 1940 | The Age | 1965-1970 | F |
| Margaret Plant | 1940 | The Australian | 1965-1970 | F |
| Margaret Preston | 1875–1963 | Art in Australia | 1924–1940 | F |
| Elizabeth Riddell | 1910–1998 | The Australian | 1960s | F |
| Robert Rooney | 1937–2017 | The Age | 1980 – July 1982 | M |
| Robert Rooney | 1937–2017 | The Australian | 1982–99 | M |
| Christine Alexandra (Sanders) Ross | 1944 | Newcastle Morning Herald | 1971– | M |
| Brian Seidel | 1928–2019 | The News (S.A.) | 1963–1966 | M |
| David Michael Shannon | 1927–1993 | The Australian | 1973–75 | M |
| Noel Sheridan | 1936-2006 | Sunday Mail (S.A.) | 1977–80 | M |
| Arnold Shore | 1897–1963 | The Argus | 1949–1957 | M |
| Arnold Shore | 1897–1963 | The Age | 1957–1963 | M |
| Mervyn Skipper | 1886–1959 | The Bulletin | 1930–31 / 1956–59 | M |
| Mervyn Skipper | 1886–1959 | The Lone Hand | | M |
| Jeffrey Smart | 1921– | Daily Telegraph | 1952–54 | M |
| Sebastian Smee | 1972– | The Australian | c.2004–2008 | M |
| Bernard Smith | 1916–2011 | The Age | 1963–1966 | M |
| Ernest Walter Smith | 1928 | Sunday Mail (S.A.) | 1963 | M |
| James Smith | 1820–1910 | The Age | 1854 | M |
| James Smith | 1820–1910 | The Argus | 1860s | M |
| Bertram Stevens | 1872–1922 | The Bulletin | 1909–10 | M |
| Bertram Stevens | 1872–1922 | The Lone Hand | 1912–18 | M |
| Arthur Streeton | 1867–1943 | The Argus | 1867–1943 | M |
| Agnes Sweetapple | 1899–1987 | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1950s–? | F |
| Daniel Thomas | 1931 | Sunday Telegraph | 1962–66 1968–69 | M |
| Daniel Thomas | 1931 | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1970–75 | M |
| Daniel Thomas | 1931 | The Bulletin | 1976–77 | M |
| Laurence Nicholas Barrett (Laurie) Thomas | 1915–1974 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1949–50 | M |
| Laurence Nicholas Barrett (Laurie) Thomas | 1915–1974 | The Australian | 1968–73 | M |
| Gerald Marr Thompson | 1856–1938 | Daily Telegraph | c.1883–86 | M |
| Wallace Thornton | 1915–1991 | The Sydney Morning Herald | 1957–67 | M |
| Evelyn Mary Tildesley | 1882–1976 | Australian Women's Weekly | 1923–35 | F |
| Peter Timms | 1948 | The Age | 1990s | M |
| Peter Timms | 1948 | The Australian | 1990s | M |
| Clive Turnbull | 1906–1975 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1943–48 | M |
| Francesco Cesare Luigi Stefano Vanzetti | 1878–1967 | West Australian | c.1929...c.1952? | M |
| Hayward Veal | 1913–1968 | Daily News (Sydney) | 1937–c.1951? | M |
| Wendy Walker | 1946– | The Australian | 2006–2016 | F |
| Wendy Walker | 1946– | The Advertiser | 1999–2006 | F |
| Peter Ward | | The Australian | 1976–2002 | M |
| Alan Warren | 1919–1991 | The Sun News-Pictorial | 1951–72 | M |
| Elizabeth Webb | | The Courier-Mail | 1940s–1950s | F |
| Neville Weston | 1936–2017 | The Advertiser (Adelaide) | 1980s | M |
| James Wieneke | 1906–1981 | Brisbane Telegraph | 1949–50 | M |
| Leslie Wilkie | 1879–1935 | The Age | briefly | M |
| Laetitia Wilson | | The West Australian | 2012–2017 | F |
| Anne-Marie Willis | | Nation Review | c.1977 | F |
| Rex Thomas Percy Reginald Wood | 1908–1970 | ? | ? | M |
| Elizabeth Young | | The Advertiser | 1952–74 | F |
| Blamire Young | 1862–1935 | Herald (Melbourne) | 1929–34 | M |