Origins & Early Life

Robin George Collingwood (; 22 February 1889 – 9 January 1943) was an English philosopher, historian and archaeologist. He is best known for his philosophical works, including The Principles of Art (1938) and the posthumously published The Idea of History (1946). Collingwood was born on 22 February 1889 in Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands, then in Lancashire (now Cumbria), the son of the artist and archaeologist W.G. Collingwood, who acted as John Ruskin's private secretary in the final years of Ruskin's life.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Collingwood's mother was also an artist and a talented pianist. He was educated at Rugby School and University College, Oxford, where he gained a First in Classical Moderations (Greek and Latin) in 1910 and a congratulatory First in Greats (Ancient History and Philosophy) in 1912. Prior to graduation, he was elected a fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford. During World War I, he served in admiralty intelligence in London from 1915 to 1918. In 1918, after returning to Oxford, he married Ethel Winifred Graham (1885-1973), a graduate of Somerville College, Oxford, with whom he had a son and a daughter.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He later married Kathleen Frances Edwardes in 1942, with whom he had another...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexandre Cabanel — Contemporary (Died in 1889) (1889): Prominent French Academic painter, celebrated for historical and mythological subjects.
• Anna Akhmatova — Contemporary (Born in 1889) (1889): A seminal Russian poet whose work chronicled the trauma of the Soviet era.
• Anne Lee Guinness — Contemporary (Died in 1889) (1889): Irish philanthropist known for establishing nursing homes and supporting the poor in Dublin.
• Alvy Ray Smith — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering computer scientist and co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios.
• Antonio Inoki — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering Japanese wrestler, martial artist, and political figure.
• Arthur Ashe — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering American tennis star, celebrated for his skill and activism.
• Adam Ferguson — Shared historical date (02-22 · Died) (1816): Scottish philosopher, historian, and 'father of modern sociology'.
• Adolphe Quetelet — Shared historical date (02-22 · Born) (1796): Pioneering Belgian statistician, founder of anthropometry, and social scientist.
• Adrien-Marie Legendre — Shared historical date (01-09 · Died) (1833): Pioneering French mathematician known for Legendre polynomials and least squares method.
• Caroline Herschel — Shared historical date (01-09 · Died) (1848): Pioneering astronomer, famed for comet discoveries and professional scientific career.
• 1889 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1889
• February 22 (02-22) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 22
• 1943 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1943
• January 9 (01-09) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 9