George Henry Burgess (British-American, 1831-1905) Oil-On-Canvas Portrait, Framed

Offering a beautifully rendered portrait painting by renowned British-American artist George Henry Burgess (1831-1905). The subject — an unidentified older woman with soft brown eyes — is presented in a thin giltwood frame.

Born in London, Burgess studied at the Somerset House School of Design in London and worked as a painter, wood engraver, and lithographer. The California gold rush attracted Burgess to America, and he eventually opened a studio in San Francisco where portrait commissions formed the bulk of his livelihood. He was especially noted for his skill in depicting ladies’ gowns, which he would ask to borrow a few weeks before sittings in order to capture the decorative details.

In 1882, Burgess began work on his magnum opus, a painting of the view of San Francisco as it appeared in 1850 at the height of the gold rush. This monumental work is housed at the Oakland Museum of California and is the one for which Burgess is best remembered today.