George H. Burgess

George Burgess, born and raised in London, grew up in a family with plenty of artistic talent. He himself studied at the Somerset House School of Design in the city London. Burgess didn't make his mark in the art world until he moved the United States in 1850, however. Like so many, he was attracted by stories of the gold rush and hoped to find his fortune in the newly settled territory. He quickly realized how foolish it all was and returned to drawing, painting and lithography. He would spend many years traveling up and down the Pacific Coast depicting life, cityscapes and landscapes. He even spent time in Hawaii, where one of his brothers had become a merchant.

Burges would ultimately become a co-founder of the San Francisco Art Association.