Richard Caton Woodville, the son of an American painter, was born in London in 1856. Educated in Russia and Germany, he studied art at Dusseldorf and Paris.

Caton Woodville worked for the The Illustrated London News where he developed a reputation as a talented reporter and illustrator. He covered several military campaigns including the Russo-Turkey War (1878), the Egyptian Rebellion (1882), the Boer War (1899-1902) and the First World War (1914-18).

His illustrations also appeared in the Cornhill Magazine, the Strand Magazine and The Tatler. He wrote and illustrated several books including Social Life in the British Army (1900) and his autobiography, Random Reminiscences (1913).

Richard Caton Woodville died in 1927.