Adam Buck

File:AdamBuck.jpg

Self-portrait with his wife and children, 1813 (Yale Center for British Art)

Adam Buck (1759–1833) was an Irish neo-classical portraitist and miniature painter (as was his brother Frederick) principally active in London.

Life

Buck was born in Castle Street, Cork. Becoming an accomplished miniaturist in the 1780s whilst still in Ireland, he made a permanent move to London in 1795 - his residences there included 174 Piccadilly (1795–8), Frith Street, Soho (1799–1802) and Bentinck Street (1813–20). His patrons included Angelica Catalani (an opera singer), JP Kemble, Sir Francis Burdett, Thomas Hope, George IV, the duke of York and his mistress Mary Anne Clarke. A major influence on Regency culture (producing plates of contemporary costume as well as genre pictures of family and classical scenes and illustrations for Laurence Sterne's Sentimental Journey), he was himself much influenced by the Greek Revival (the furniture, vases - which he collected -, sculptures, costumes and even hairstyles in his works are all ancient Greek). He also acted as a painting teacher, as well as exhibiting more than 170 miniatures and small full-length portraits at the Royal Academy between 1795 and 1833. He died at 15 Upper Seymour Street, London.

Works

• Proposals for publishing by subscription 100 engravings from paintings on Greek vases which have never been published, drawn and etched by Adam Buck from private collections now in England, dedicated to the earl of Carlisle (1811) - intended as a continuation of Sir William Hamilton's Collection of Engravings from Ancient Vases … (1791–7)

Gallery

• 

  "Archers", print after Buck, 1799

• 

  "Sophia Western", engraving after Buck, 1800

• Mary Anne Clarke (née Thompson).jpg

  Mary Anne Clarke, by Buck, 1803

References

• (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
•  

External links

• Portrait of a woman and child by Buck
• Portraits of the Miss Sneyds, 1790