Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 36 works by Clement Burlison in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Clement Burlison's most famous painting is Cain and Abel (1846). Madonna della sedia (copy after Raphael) (1846) and Sir Robert Peel (1788–1850), 2nd Bt, Prime Minister (1852) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 36 works by Clement Burlison in our catalog, the gallery presents the 33 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
The composition presents a dramatic and chaotic scene of violence. Muscular figures dominate the lower half of the canvas, engaged in a struggle that emphasizes physical tension and movement. The scene unfolds within a landscape of trees, a body of water, and distant mountains under a cloudy sky. A celestial element, an angel, occupies the upper portion of the frame, providing a vertical counterpoint to the earthly conflict below. The…
This circular oil painting, titled Madonna della sedia (copy after Raphael), was executed by the British artist Clement Burlison. Created about 1846, the work represents a meticulous engagement with a classical composition, demonstrating the technical skill Burlison applied to his renditions of established religious subjects. The piece captures a quiet, intimate moment through a careful study of form and light.
The subject is presented in a three-quarter view, occupying the center of the frame with a composed and serious expression. He is positioned within a study or library, a setting that implies intellect and wealth through the presence of a richly decorated backdrop and wooden furniture. The lighting is dramatic, utilizing strong contrasts between light and shadow to define the contours of his face and the textures of his formal…
A young girl sits centered upon a garden bench, her presence anchored by the quiet company of her pets. To her side, a dog and a large black cat flank her, creating a triangular composition that emphasizes stability and domestic peace. The setting is an outdoor space, perhaps a private park or a manicured garden, where the background dissolves into a soft, blurred landscape of trees and foliage. This atmospheric…
A bridge spans a river, acting as the central axis for this landscape. Below, the water reflects the soft light of the sky, while the surrounding terrain is populated by grazing sheep. A woman walks across the stone structure, her movement captured in a moment of quiet transit. Nearby, another figure stands, grounding the scene in a sense of lived experience. Above the river, two birds are suspended in flight,…
In this 1846 oil painting, Clement Burlison explores a scene of quiet intimacy and complex emotion. A woman sits upon a bench, her form partially draped in a deep red cloth that catches the light with a soft, tactile quality. In her lap, she holds a baby, a detail that grounds the composition in a sense of maternal presence. The atmosphere is thick with a subtle, observational grace, as if…
The water ripples softly under a fleet of boats, each one a small silhouette against the shimmering surface of the Adriatic. In this scene, the air feels heavy with the dampness of a Venetian morning, where the light begins to peel back the shadows of the night. Boats of various sizes drift peacefully, some large and sturdy, others small and nimble, as they navigate the calm currents. Near the vessels,…
In this 1847 portrait, we encounter John Bramwell, a man whose life was deeply intertwined with the civic governance of Durham. He served as Mayor during several distinct periods, including 1840–1842, 1845–1846, and 1852–1853. The artist, Clement Burlison, captures him in a moment of quietude, a departure from the formal, often rigid postures typical of mid-Victorian official portraiture. Bramwell is depicted with his hands clasped, a gesture that suggests a…
Clement Burlison’s 1844 oil on canvas, Self Portrait (copy of Anthony van Dyck), offers a nineteenth-century perspective on a seventeenth-century subject. The work presents a man with brown hair and a beard, his gaze directed toward the viewer. He is dressed in a white shirt and a black vest, a composition that emphasizes the interplay between light and shadow. This reproduction captures the essence of the original subject through a…
The room feels warm, bathed in a soft, golden light that seems to emanate from the figures themselves. Mary holds her child with a gentle, protective grace, her presence anchoring the entire composition. Around them, the air is thick with a sense of togetherness, as if the world outside has ceased to exist. An angel lingers near the baby, adding a celestial touch to this quiet, domestic scene. A deep…
Landscape (after Salomon van Ruysdael)1844
12
John Philip Kemble (1758–1822), as Hamlet (copy after Thomas Lawrence)1844
13
The Village Festival (copy after David Wilkie)1843
14
Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine and a Rabbit (recto) (copy after Titian)1844
15
William Henderson (1813–1891), Mayor of Durham (1848–1849)1853
16
Joe Bainbridge, the Castle Postman1850 · Durham University
17
Robert Burns (1759–1796)1859
18
Thomas Belk, Town Clerk of Hartlepool (1841–1882)1859
19
Holy Trinity Church, Darlington, County Durham1860 · Darlington Library
20
The Tribute Money (copy after Titian)1868
21
Mrs Horner's Dog1872
22
Alderman John Horsley, JP, Mayor of Hartlepool (1881–1885)1884
23
The Reverend Dr John Cundill (1812–1894)1889 · Durham University
24
White Cat
25
Reverend Dr James Raine (1791–1858), Mayor's Chaplain (1836–1858)
26
Venice by Sunset, Italy
27
John Fawcett, JP
28
The River Tees near Wynch Bridge
29
Frans Snyders (1579–1657) (after Anthony van Dyck)
30
Abraham Sacrificing Isaac ( )
31
Thomas Robson, Mayor of Hartlepool (1855–1857)
32
The Reverend Canon Henry Jenkyns (1795–1878), MA, DDDurham University
33
The Reverend Professor Thomas Saunders Evans (1816–1889)Durham University
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 3 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Clement Burlison | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Durham University |
Durham | 4 | Joe Bainbridge, the Castle Postman, The Reverend Dr John Cundill (1812–1894), The Reverend Canon Henry Jenkyns (1795–1878), MA, DD |
 Ickworth |
Suffolk County | 1 | Alice Frances Theodora Wythes (1875–1957), Marchioness of Bristol, as a Young Girl |
 Darlington Library |
Darlington | 1 | Holy Trinity Church, Darlington, County Durham |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The composition presents a dramatic and chaotic scene of violence. Muscular figures dominate the lower half of the canvas, engaged in a struggle that emphasizes physical tension and movement. The scene unfolds within a landscape of trees, a body of water, and distant mountains under a cloudy sky. A celestial element, an angel, occupies the upper portion of the frame, providing a vertical counterpoint to the earthly conflict below. The…
The subject is presented in a three-quarter view, occupying the center of the frame with a composed and serious expression. He is positioned within a study or library, a setting that implies intellect and wealth through the presence of a richly decorated backdrop and wooden furniture. The lighting is dramatic, utilizing strong contrasts between light and shadow to define the contours of his face and the textures of his formal…
In this 1860 oil painting, we find ourselves on a peaceful road in Darlington, observing a scene of mid-Victorian life. The Holy Trinity Church rises with a prominent steeple and a cross, acting as the anchor for the entire composition. It is a study of a specific place and a specific time, captured with the steady hand of Clement Burlison. The atmosphere is one of stillness, where the architecture of…
A small, brown dog sits poised upon a plush red chair, its presence commanding the center of the frame. The animal's head turns slightly to the left, eyes perhaps catching a movement just out of sight, frozen in a moment of curious stillness. The deep crimson of the upholstery provides a heavy, warm foundation for the composition, anchoring the subject within a domestic interior. High above, the scene feels lived-in…
A young girl sits centered upon a garden bench, her presence anchored by the quiet company of her pets. To her side, a dog and a large black cat flank her, creating a triangular composition that emphasizes stability and domestic peace. The setting is an outdoor space, perhaps a private park or a manicured garden, where the background dissolves into a soft, blurred landscape of trees and foliage. This atmospheric…
Cain and Abel (1846). Madonna della sedia (copy after Raphael) (1846) and Sir Robert Peel (1788–1850), 2nd Bt, Prime Minister (1852) come next.
31 years old: Cain and Abel dates from 1846, and Clement Burlison was born in 1815.
Cain and Abel, Madonna della sedia (copy after Raphael), Sir Robert Peel (1788–1850), 2nd Bt, Prime Minister, Alice Frances Theodora Wythes (1875–1957), Marchioness of Bristol, as a Young Girl, Durham, Profane Love (copy after Titian), The Dogana, San Giorgio, Venice, Italy (copy after Joseph Mallord William Turner), John Bramwell (1794–1882), Mayor of Durham (1840–1842, 1845–1846 1852–1853), Self Portrait (copy of Anthony van Dyck) and Madonna and Child with Saint Jerome (copy after Bartolomé Esteban Murillo). The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 36 works by Clement Burlison, dated from 1843 to 1889.
Mostly in Durham University (Durham), Ickworth (Suffolk County) and Darlington Library (Darlington). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1840s: 11 of the 33 works on this page were made then, Cain and Abel among them.
On this page, the earliest is The Village Festival (copy after David Wilkie) (1843) and the latest The Reverend Dr John Cundill (1812–1894) (1889).
People (9), Man (7) and Chair (5), across the 33 works on this page.
Oil, for 15 of the 33 works on this page.
Joe Bainbridge, the Castle Postman, The Reverend Dr John Cundill (1812–1894) and The Reverend Canon Henry Jenkyns (1795–1878), MA, DD: the Durham University, Durham holds 4 of the works on this page.
Clement Burlison (1815-1899) stands as a quietly significant figure in 19th-century British art, a painter whose meticulous observation and skillful rendering of light and atmosphere secured him a place among the most accomplished portraitists and genre painters of his era. Often overshadowed by more flamboyant contemporaries, Burlison’s legacy rests on a body of work characterized by a remarkable sensitivity to detail, a deep understanding of human psychology, and an ability to capture fleeting moments of everyday life with understated grace.
Born in Hartlepool, England, Burlison's early artistic training was largely self-directed. He began his career as a draughtsman for the North Western Steam Navigation Company, a position that provided him with invaluable experience in observing and documenting the world around him – a skill he would later translate into his paintings. This period instilled in him a keen eye for perspective, composition, and the subtle nuances of light reflecting off water and buildings. He initially studied under John Brett at the Liverpool Academy of Arts, absorbing elements of the Pre-Raphaelite style, particularly its emphasis on realism and detailed depiction of nature. However, Burlison quickly developed his own distinct approach, prioritizing psychological insight alongside technical mastery.
Burlison’s fame primarily rests upon his portraiture, a genre in which he excelled with remarkable consistency over several decades. He produced hundreds of portraits, ranging from grandees of the landed gentry to humble tradesmen and members of the working class. What distinguishes Burlison's portraits is not merely their technical accuracy but also the profound empathy he conveyed towards his subjects. He avoided the overly flattering or idealized representations common in many Victorian portraits, instead presenting individuals with a frankness that revealed both their virtues and their flaws. His ability to capture the essence of a person – their character, temperament, and social standing – is evident in works like “Alice Frances Theodora Wythes (1875–1957), Marchioness of Bristol, as a Young Girl,” a tender depiction of a young girl surrounded by her beloved pets. The painting’s warmth and intimacy are achieved through the careful use of light and shadow, creating a sense of quiet contemplation.
His portraiture was not limited to the wealthy elite; he frequently depicted ordinary people, offering a valuable glimpse into the lives of those often overlooked by mainstream art. These scenes – a fisherman mending his nets, a blacksmith at work, a group of children playing in the street – are imbued with a sense of realism and social commentary, reflecting Burlison’s commitment to portraying the diverse tapestry of Victorian society.
Beyond portraiture, Burlison also produced a significant body of genre scenes—paintings depicting everyday life. These works often featured local settings and characters, capturing the rhythms and customs of Hartlepool and its surrounding areas. He was particularly adept at portraying maritime subjects, reflecting his upbringing in a port town. His paintings frequently showcased the bustling activity of the docks, the arrival of ships, and the lives of sailors and fishermen.
Burlison’s religious works, though less numerous than his portraits or genre scenes, are equally noteworthy. He produced several copies after renowned masterpieces, most notably a stunning rendition of “Madonna della sedia (copy after Raphael).” This circular oil painting, executed with meticulous detail and a deep understanding of the original's composition, demonstrates Burlison’s technical skill and his ability to imbue classic works with his own artistic sensibility. The work is a testament to his dedication to mastering the techniques of the Old Masters.
Clement Burlison’s influence extends beyond his individual paintings. His meticulous observation, psychological insight, and commitment to realism served as an inspiration for subsequent generations of British artists. His work aligns closely with the style of David Wilkie, a 19th-century painter known for his scenes of London life, suggesting a direct line of artistic influence. Burlison’s legacy is one of quiet achievement—a testament to the power of patient observation, technical skill, and a genuine appreciation for the human condition.
Today, Burlison's paintings are housed in public collections across England and beyond, offering viewers a rare opportunity to connect with the art of a master painter who deserves greater recognition for his significant contribution to Victorian art. His work continues to resonate with audiences today, reminding us of the beauty and complexity of everyday life.
