Author and Collector
Collections of Burchett's lectures from the school were published in book form, through Chapman and Hall: Practical Geometry (1855), Practical Perspective (1857), which was translated into Chinese, Linear Perspective for the Use of Schools of Art (1872).
He appears buying a number of lots for the school ("Marlborough House") and a few for himself in the huge (4294 lot) sale in 1855 of the distinguished collection of Ralph Bernal. He was also at the studio sale of Augustus Egg, buying two paintings now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, probably on their behalf, although he also sold them works apparently from his collection, as well as his Sandown landscape (in 1861).
Burchett looked after a number of paintings by his colleague, the Pre-Raphaelite Walter Howell Deverell (1827–54) for a decade after Deverell's early death, before handing them on to Dante Gabriel Rossetti. These included Twelfth Night, Deverell's major work, which fetched £600,650 ($957,436) in an auction at Christies in 2003. He must have known Deverell as a boy, as his father had been Secretary to the school, and the family lived on the premises until 1852. Deverell joined the staff of the school in 1848, and was there until his death.
Apart from his own students, Burchett encouraged other young artists, sending the Royal Academy schools a letter of recommendation for the young Albert Moore.
Read more about this topic: Richard Burchett
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