'QUIET EVENING' by W F BURTON 1907 - 1995
Oil on board 
Frame 15 1/2" x 13 1/2"
Picture 9 1/4" x 7 1/4"
 
William Francis Burton (1st January 1907 in North Walsham, Norfolk - 1995 Colchster, Essex) was a prolific English marine and landscape artist who painted in oils.
 
He drew inspiration for his work largely from his rural Nofolk upbringing and his adopted home county of Essex. West Mersea was a particular favourite and Burton is best remembered for his depictions of golden oyster beds and Turneresque skies: his most well known work 'Evening Gold' was reproduced in 1965. In the late 1960s his reproductions were outselling  any other artist, past or present.
 
He was self-taught and spent a year in Auistralia (1964-65) perfecting his technique. He retired from the Civil Service in the early sixties to become a professional and commercially successful artist. Burton's style was detailed draughtmanship with earthy colour. His landscapes were often made disinctive by the addition of a strategically placed toadstool whislt his marine-scapes included a green bottle.
 
He died in Colchester, Essex in 19095 at the age of 88. Sixteen of his original works were reproduced as prints in the 1960s by the publishers Soloman and Whitehead of London.