Frederick Burton was an Irish painter, who served as the third director of the National Gallery in London. His most significant works include The Blind Girl at the Holy Well, The Aran Fisherman’s Drowned Child and Faust’s First Sight of Marguerite.
Background
Frederick William Burton was born on April 8, 1816 in Wicklow, Ireland. He was the son of Hanna Mallett and Samuel Frederick Burton, an amateur painter, who encouraged his son. Frederick's grandparents were Major Edward William Burton, a High Sheriff of Clare in 1799, and Jane Blood.
Education
Frederick was educated at the Dublin Society’s Drawing Schools. In 1889 he obtained Doctor of Law degree in Trinity College, Dublin.
In the 1830s Burton developed friendships with a number of Irish antiquarians such as George Petrie and Samuel Ferguson. Burton and Petrie travelled along the west coast of Ireland, sketching. Here Burton developed an interest in Irish history and folk life.
Frederick Burton established himself in London as a painter of subject pictures and portraits. In 1842 he started to exhibit his works at the Royal Academy of Arts.
Beginning from 1851 to 1858 he served as a painter in the service of Maximilian II of Bavaria.
Burton worked on archaeological sketches together with George Petrie and some time later started to serve on the council of the Royal Irish Academy.
He was appointed a director of the National Gallery in London in 1874, where he remained until his retirement in 1894. The artist ceased painting and threw his energies into the growing gallery, working on a catalogue of the collection and overseeing important building extensions. His most important contribution to that institution was the acquisition of over 500 works, including Leonardo’s Virgin of the Rocks.
Burton worked in watercolours throughout his career, no oils by him are known.