Fred Holland Day est né à Boston (Massachusetts) le 8 juillet 1864 et mort le 12 novembre 1933.
He attended the Chauncey School in Boston, where he acquired an interest in great literature and art. He began to collect rare books and later became interested in publishing. He greatly admired the poet John Keats and raised funds for an American memorial to Keats at Hampstead, England. Day's collection of Keats' works and memorabilia was one of the finest in the world and is now housed at the Keats House.
With friends, Day published two literary magazines, The Mahogany Tree in 1892 and The Knight Errant in 1892-93. With Herbert Copeland, he formed the publishing firm of Copeland & Day in 1893. The firm published 98 books during its nearly six years of existence. These included many works of avant-garde poetry, children's books and essays. The Copeland & Day author list included Stephen Crane, Louise Imogren Guiney, Lionel Johnson, Oscar Wilde and William Butler Yeats. In conjunction with English publishing houses, the firm also brought the periodicals The Yellow Book and The Hobby Horse to American audiences.
At the turn of the century, Fred Holland Day was one of the most influential artistic photographers in the world, along with Gertrude Kasebier, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz and Clarence White. Day exhibited his works in London and Paris and throughout the U.S. His most famous and controversial photographs are his series of self-portraits illustrating the crucification of Christ. Large collections of Day's prints are housed at The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and at The Royal Photographic Society in Bath, England.
