Portrait of a Young lady by Adelaide Sophia Burgess

Portrait of a Young lady by Adelaide Sophia Burgess

Portrait of a Young Lady by Adelaide Sophia Burgess

Graphite and Body Colour

Adelaide Sophia Burgess

Born 1829 Chelsea, London, England      Died 14^th May 1917 High Street, Kenilworth, Warwickshire

Overall Frame Size  18.5 ins (470 mm) by 14.5 ins (368 mm)

Image Size (Oval)  12.75 ins (324 mm) by 10 ins (253 mm)

Studied with her father and was a Portrait painter and Teacher of Drawing and Painting all her working life

Adelaide was the daughter of John Cart Burgess

Adelaide was the daughter of John Cart Burgess (1798 – 20 Feb. 1863) was an English watercolour painter of flowers and landscapes, He taught several members of the Royal Family to Paint. also, the author of two books on art technique. He was the son of portrait-painter, William Burgess (1749–1812 and the grandson of Thomas Burgess (fl. 1766–1786). His brothers were the painters Henry William Burgess (fl. 1809–1844) Landscape painter to William IV. and Thomas Burgess (1784–1807). John started off as a painter of flowers and fruit in watercolours, first exhibiting three flower pieces at the Royal Academy, London in 1812; he was then residing at 46 Sloane Square in Chelsea. He also exhibited at the Suffolk Street Gallery and the British Institution. His works were much admired, and in brilliancy and beauty of execution were said to rival those of Van Huysum.

At the age of 27, he married Charlotte Smith (daughter of Anker Smith, a well-known engraver), a talented sculptress and silver medal winner at the Royal Academy.^[3]

A growing family eventually made him give up painting for the more lucrative teaching. For many years he held a prominent position as a drawing master.

Among his pupils he numbered several members of the royal family. In 1811 he published a book on flower-painting^[4] and a treatise on perspective which went to several editions.^[1][5]

Burgess died in Leamington at the residence of his son, John Burgess (1813–1874), also a painter of note, on 20 February 1863