Thomas Burke (artist)

Thomas Burke (1749 – 31 December 1815) was an Irish engraver and painter.

Life

Born in Dublin, Burke first trained in the Dublin Society's Schools under Robert West, moving in 1770 to London where he studied mezzotint under John Dixon. He adopted the chalk method popularised by Bartolozzi, continuing to use both styles.

Most of Burke's mezzotints were engraved after Angelica Kauffman for William Wynne Ryland, who taught him the stipple engraving technique. Burke preferred to work for publishers and seldom issued prints himself. His engravings typically featured subject pictures.

He died in London on 31 December 1815.

Burke's best known work was a popular print after Fuseli, The Nightmare.