Sir Frederick William Burton (1816-1900)

Born in Corofin, County Clare, the son of an amateur landscape painter, Burton studied drawing under the Brocas brothers at the Royal Dublin Society School, alongside Henry Brocas and Robert West. A fast developer he achieved distinction as a painter of watercolour portraits and colourful miniatures on ivory. In 1837, he showed three portraits at the Royal Hibernian Academy and shortly afterwards was elected an Associate Member. Two years later, at the age of only 23, he was elected a full Academician and continued showing at the RHA for many years, even after he moved to London.

Meantime, in 1842, he began to exhibit at the Royal Academy in London. During his early p...