Charles Kennedy Burt was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 8
November 1823. He showed signs of an artistic streak from a very young age,
soon winning local students contests for his drawings. He became a pupil of the
Scottish engraver and painter William Holme Lizars.
In 1842, Burt emigrated to the United States, where he came
to work for the printer Alexander L Dick in New York as an apprentice engraver.
He spent his time engraving book illustrations and portraits, but his work was
all signed by Dick. It is thought, however, that for example the engraving of
Leonardo’s Last Supper was done by Burt. His progress was rapid and after four
years Burt left Dick to start working for the major New York printers Rawdon,
Wright, Hatch and Edson.
During his career he would work for many of the prestigious
printing firms. He spent, for example, sixteen years at the ABNC, and was also
the principal engraver for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. He was
considered one of the Master Engravers of his time.
In 1864, as part of the Sanity Fair held in His hometown of
Brooklyn, he co-organised en exhibition of engravings, which included many of
his own works. It was the first ever such public exhibition held in the US.
With regard to his stamp work, definitive issues can be
attributed to him which were issued in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Nova Scotia and the United States of course. But it has also
been stated that he engraved stamps for Italy and Russia, though it is not known
which.
His portrait of Abraham Lincoln first adorned US banknotes
in 1869, on a $100 note. That same note was still used, though later on $5
notes, as late as 1995!
Burt became the second President of the Graham Art Institute
of Brooklyn.
Burt passed away in Brooklyn NY, on 25 March 1892.
Burt passed away in Brooklyn NY, on 25 March 1892.