Burt, Albin Roberts (SCC Newsletter January 2009)

Albin Roberts Burt 1/12/1783 - 1/3/1842

A minor profile miniaturist, who also painted silhouettes.

Mrs. McK has an entry on Mr. Burt in Section Two (painted on card & paper) and in Section Six (delineated sitter's features). At the time of writing her Book she stated " no silhouette by Burt is extant". Although she does record that silhouettes by him were sold at Sotheby's and Christie's in 1932. I have only seen profile miniatures by him since I started collecting. However, in recent months a silhouette by this artist was advertised on Ebay and acquired by a Member of the S.C.C. for the princely sum of £40! I have illustrated this silhouette above together with its hanger on the papier mache frame housing it.

The name of the 'sitter' is stencilled below the bust-line - it is of George Alderson Taylor aged 75 and dated 1811. It is painted on paper in black watercolour - the sitter's hair and shirtfront are painted in thinned watercolour. Gum arabic has been used on the jacket and to indicate the arm demarcation, but this is difficult to show on the photograph.

Mr. Burt seems to have had many strings to his bow. He started life as an engraver and almost certainly would have engraved the frame hanger himself. Also, he carved store and shell cameos. He was quite a prolific profile miniature painter and is recorded as being responsible for over 4,000 examples. He advertised the use of a “new invented machine" to obtain his likenesses. j

His brother was secretary to Lord Nelson and his mother a friend of Emma Hamilton. The connection with the Nelson/Hamilton circle was particularly useful to him, as it gave him an entrée into their society, where he was able to paint the portraits of eminent and well-known people of his day. He worked in a large number of towns and cities in England including Worcester, London, Birmingham and Oxford. He married and had eight children. He died in Reading.

I think it would be difficult on the basis of this silhouette to attribute a silhouette to Burt with any certainty without either a signature or an engraved frame hanger.