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Sir George Scharf

(1820-1895), Artist and art historian; first Director and later trustee of the National Portrait Gallery

Sitter in 79 portraits
Artist associated with 588 portraits
Artist and art historian; appointed first Secretary of the National Portrait Gallery in 1857 and Director in 1882. Scharf studied art under his father, the draughtsman and lithographer George Scharf, before entering the Royal Academy Schools in 1838. In the 1840s Scharf was twice commissioned as a draughtsman to travel to Asia Minor and, in the late 1840s and early 1850s, established himself as a leading book illustrator. Scharf devoted nearly 40 years to researching and identifying authentic portraits of significant historical figures and became an authority on portraiture.

More on Scharf: Sir George Scharf sketchbooks

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