Director, National Gallery of Art, London, and artist. Burton was the son of Samuel Frederic Burton (b. 1786), a wealthy landowner in County Limerick an amateur artist, and Hannah Mallet (Burton). The Burtons moved to Dublin in 1826 where Burton entered the Dublin Society's drawing schools, studying under Henry Brocas (1766-1838) the elder and Robert Lucius West (1774-1850). He additionally studied miniatures with Samuel Lover (1797-1868). In 1837, Burton was elected an associate member of the Royal Hibernian Academy and a full member in 1839.

First director of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge University; British Museum Keeper of Prints and Drawings (1883-1912). Colvin was the son of Bazett David Colvin (1805-1871), a commercial agent in India, and Mary Steuart Bayley (1821-1902). Colvin was raised and privately tutored the family home, The Grove, Little Bealings, near Woodbridge, east Suffolk. As a boy he knew John Ruskin, whose work he emulated. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1863 graduating at the top of his class in Classics in 1867. The following year he was appointed a fellow.

Burlington Magazine co-editor and director, National Gallery, London; painter. Holmes was the sone of Charles Rivington Holmes (d. 1873), a clergyman, and Mary Susan Dickson. Holmes attended Eton College beginning in 1883, and then won a scholarship to Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1887. At Oxford he met Walter Pater. He initially worked as London publisher's assistant between 1898 and 1903. During this time, he taught himself to draw, and then lessons by Charles S. Ricketts (1866-1931) and etching under William Strang (1859-1921).

Museum director and archaeologist. Middleton was the son of the architect John Middleton (1820-1885) and Maria Margaret Pritchett (Middleton). He traveled to Italy with his family where he was initially educated and then Cheltenham, England, where he attended Cheltenham College and then Exeter College, Oxford beginning in 1865. The following year, however, he suffered a severe depression, precipitated by the death of a close friend, and remained at home, privately reading art and archaeology in solitude for nearly six years.

Keeper of Coins, British Museum, 1870-1893, early exponent of the relationship to Greek art to coinage. Poole was born to Reverend Edward R. Poole (c. 1805-1884) and Sophia Lane (Poole) (1804-1891), the latter a grand niece of Thomas Gainsborough. His mother left his father in 1842 because of his bibliomania and alcoholism. Poole was subsequently raised by his mother and uncle, Edward W. Lane (1801-1876), the eminent Orientalist, accompanying them the same year to Egypt where Edward was assembling an Arabic dictionary.

Curator and historian of Italian drawings. Pouncy was the son of Reverend George Ernest Pouncey, a banker who had taken clerical vows, Madeline Mary Roberts (Pouncy). He attended Marlborough College and Queens' College, Cambridge. After viewing the 1930 "Italian Art, 1200-1900" exhibition at the Royal Academy in London, he decided to pursue art after college. He graduated in1931 and volunteered at the Fitzwilliam Museum from 1931-1933, making short trips to Italy in between. He was appointed as an assistant keeper in the National Gallery in London in 1934, where he remained until 1939.

Director, National Gallery, 1894-1905 and artist. Poynter was the son of the architect Ambrose Poynter (1796-1886) and Emma Forster (Poynter) (1800-1848), the latter the granddaughter of sculptor Thomas Banks (1735-1805). Poynter studied at Westminster School, Brighton College, and Ipswich grammar school, between 1847-52, inclusively. He further studied under Thomas Shotter Boys and Leigh's academy. In the winter of 1853 he traveled to Rome where he met the painter Frederic Leighton (1830-1896) and was greatly impressed by the classicizing genre.

Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures,1857-1880 and art education reformer. Redgrave was the son of William Redgrave (1775-1845) and Mary Redgrave (d.1814?). His father was in manufacturer of wire fencing. Redgrave was educated at home and then at school in Chelsea. He joined his father's firm, but convinced he should be an artists, began to paint. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1826, showing regularly thereafter at the Royal Academy exhibitions. During these years, Redgrave painted subjects largely drawn from literature. He was elected an associate at the Royal Academy in 1840.

Bureaucrat who wrote art history reference works in retirement. Redgrave was the son of William Redgrave (1775-1845), a manufacturer, and Mary Redgrave (d.1814?). He attended school in Chelsea were he studied art and did architectural drawing under John Powell. Redgrave joined the Home Office as a clerk in 1818 at the age of fifteen, where he spent his entire professional life. Concomitantly, Redgrave began studying architecture. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1833.

Director of the Tate Gallery (1938-64). Rothenstein was the son of the painter Sir William Rothenstein (1872-1945) and Alice Mary Rothenstein (1869-1955). He was educated at Bedales School (1913-19) and Worcester College, Oxford (entering 1920, graduated 1923) and University College London. He converted to Roman Catholicism in 1926. His initial publications were The Portrait Drawings of William Rothenstein in 1926 and a monograph on Eric Gill in 1927.

Amateur art historian and authority on British artists. Whitley was son of William Whitley, a fabrics dyer, Mary Gilday (Whitley). After private education he joined his father's business, though his real interests were to be a painter. Between 1887 and 1900 he exhibited landscapes and other works at the Royal Academy. In 1888 he married Mary Alford (1854/5-1931). Whitley began writing articles on British art in the Morning Post. More serious pieces also appeared in the Burlington Magazine, The Studio, and The Connoisseur.