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Adam Buck

Early Life

Adam Buck was born into a Protestant family of silversmiths, around 1760 His father, Jonathan Buck, was a successful farmer and silversmith who operated a workshop on Castle Street . The Buck family, well-known for their role in the silver trade in Dublin, had relocated to Cork. Adam was the second of his four surviving children; his younger brother, Frederick (1765–1840), also rose to prominence as an artist. Adam might have received some official training in Dublin, perhaps at the Hibernian Academy or the Royal Dublin Society but both brothers were primarily self-taught. By the 1780s, the family's business had grown to include miniatures and portraiture, with Adam and Frederick painting miniature portraits for local customers. Adam had strong ties to the artistic world in Cork throughout his early years. Buck was born in Castle Street, Cork Ireland. Becoming an accomplished miniaturist in the 1780s while 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.

Adam Buck
Born	1759 Castle Street, Cork, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Known for	Portrait-miniature painting-engraving

Career Highlights

Adam Buck’s career began with his first known commission illustrating *The Gentleman’s Catch Book*(1778–1786), dedicated to the Hibernian Catch Club, a prominent Dublin choir. Following his father’s death in 1786, he painted a celebrated group portrait of Richard Lovell Edgeworth’s family, earning praise for his striking likenesses, including of Maria Edgeworth, author of *Castle Rackrent*.

Buck’s early sitters often had reformist ties, including United Irishmen leader John Sheares and nationalist Roger O’Connor. In 1795, Buck relocated to London, establishing a studio at 174 Piccadilly. He exhibited prolifically at the Royal Academy and other institutions, producing 179 works over 38 years.. As part of his career progression he worked on fashion plates, producing a range of publications such as Laurence Sterne's Sentimental journey and a series entitled The progress of life.

Notable Works

Adam Bucks's artistry portrays an insight into the Regency era. Buck effectively captures the fashions and faces of the Royals, landowners, military officers and socialites. One portrait that’s outstanding to this day is his 1787 family portrait of the Edgeworths, including author Maria Edgeworth, held at the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.

In 1795, Buck's move to London ignited his career take-off, with more than 170 works at the Royal Academy to his credit. Among his notable works is his 1813 self-portrait of his family, now standing at Yale University, clearly in which his interests in Greco-Roman antiquities are conspicuous through his use of classical motifs and designs. Buck was loved by prominent figures such Prince of Wales (later King George IV) and his brother, Frederick, Duke of York. Buck created not only the portraits of both patrons but also of the notorious mistress of the Duke of York, Mrs. Mary Anne Clarke, Buck miniaturised her likeness, frozen in time wearing a fine muslin dress that fell on her body beautifully. The portrait was well received and at the same time most heartily criticised, but however, Buck had pretty much opened up the gates as to what was permissible in terms of portraiture in Georgian London society. This illustrates Buck's ability to navigate intricate social and political dynamics while maintaining professional relationships in the midst of public controversies. Buck also created portraits of notable radicals such as Sir Francis Burdett

Besides Adam Bucks classical art pieces he also painted portraits of radicals such as Sir Francis Burdett, a British politician known for his controversial views on parliamentary reform and individual freedoms. Buck's portrait of this figure effectively conveys the politicians' challenging stance towards societal norms. His graceful aquatint Skating Lovers (1800) is still a renowned representation of Regency leisure. Buck's evocative depictions of mothers and kids, which were extensively disseminated by authors such as Rudolph Ackerman and William Holland, became extremely popular and were imitated on fan leaves and pottery, thus expanding his influence.

• 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)

Mary Anne Clarke (née Thompson)

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  An Elegant Couple Admiring The 'Lely Venus', 1801
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  A Confident Child, 1809
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  Exhibited: Colnaghi as ‘A Girl smelling Geraniums’. Girl on a terrace. (1807)
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  Portrait of a Young Lady Seated on a Sea-wall
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  Exhibited: Agnews 94th Annual Exhibition of Watercolours and Drawings, 1957, No.17, as ‘Martha, Katherine and Isabel Butler’. Three small girls in a wild landscape. Pencil and watercolour. Indistinctly inscribed verso ‘(unclear name), Katharine and Isabella daughters of R.S(unclear). Previously believed to be three of the daughters of the Poet Robert Southey. (before 1834)
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  "Archers", print after Buck, 1799
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  "Sophia Western", engraving after Buck, 1800
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  Mother’s Hope by Adam Buck

Legacy

The work of Adam Buck is remarkable in that he combined classical canons of proportions and forms of portrait styles typical of the Regency period. The resulting greater emphasis on personality was greatly appreciated, his works throughout the period enjoyed widespread popularity and decorative art was influenced. His interest in the past and artistic plasticity secured an important place for him in the 19th century British art.

References

• "Buck, Adam". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/3847. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
• Lee, Sidney, ed. (1901). "Buck, Adam" . Dictionary of National Biography (1st supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co.

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External links

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