Edward Penny R.A. British School 18th.Century A group of three family portraits. Members of the Burgoyne family Circa.1770. Presented in original hand carved giltwood frames. 30 by 35 cms. Reverse of the elder gentleman bears contemporary label identifying sitter and artist, "Thomas Burgoyne Edw'd Penny Esq Prof. Painting to the Royal Academy December 14th. 1770." Further inscription to frame Thomas Burgoyne married Susan Blantun of Southwell. Born 1721 died 1791. The reverse of the other gentleman has label identifying sitter as John Burgoyne Born 1742 died 1787 married Sarah Rumford son of Thomas Burgoyne. The child portrait has faint inscription John Burgoyne of Higham Ferrers.
Edward Penny was a sucessful portrait, historical and genre painter, one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768. He trained under the portraitist Thomas Hudson in London and later studied with the religious painter Marco Benefial in Rome. He exhibited at the Royal Academy almost every year until 1782, by which time ill-health had caused him to resign his professorship.