William Russell Birch

American, 1755-1834

William Russell Birch was an English miniature painter, enameler, and landscape engraver and designer.

Birch was born in Warwickshire, the son of Anne, née Russell, and physician Thomas Birch. He spent his early childhood in Warwick and was apprenticed to a jeweler, Thomas Jeffreys, and to Sir Joshua Reynolds. The enamelist Henry Spicer trained Birch in the art of enamel painting. Birch exhibited enamel portraits at the Royal Academy from 1781 to 1794. In 1785, he received a medal from the Royal Society of Arts. As an engraver he is best known in England for his Délices de la Grande Bretagne, consisting of thirty-six plates of ancient buildings in Norwich and elsewhere, published in 1791.

After emigrating to Philadelphia in 1794 he made portrait enamels of many people including copies of portraits of George Washington, by Gilbert Stuart. The engraving series he made in 1800 of Philadelphia vistas was so extremely popular it resulted in three additional editions. William Birch was the father of Thomas Birch, an American portrait and marine painter. His typescript autobiography is held by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. He died in Philadelphia, aged 79.

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Sweet Briar

Sweet Briar (c. 1808)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

View from the Springhouse at Echo

View from the Springhouse at Echo (c. 1808)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

George Washington

George Washington (1810-1820)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

Arch Street, with the Second Presbyterian Church. Philadelphia.

Arch Street, with the Second Presbyterian Church. Philadelphia. (1799)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

Bank of Pennsylvania, South Second Street, Philadelphia.

Bank of Pennsylvania, South Second Street, Philadelphia. (1800)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

Girard’s Bank, late the Bank of the United States, in Third Street Philadelphia.

Girard’s Bank, late the Bank of the United States, in Third Street Philadelphia. (1800)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

Goal, in Walnut Street Philadelphia.

Goal, in Walnut Street Philadelphia. (1799)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

High Street Market, Philadelphia.

High Street Market, Philadelphia. (1799)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

High Street, from Ninth Street, Philadelphia.

High Street, from Ninth Street, Philadelphia. (1799)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

High Street, from the country market-place, Philadelphia; with the procession in commemeration of the death of General George Washington, December 26th 1799

High Street, from the country market-place, Philadelphia; with the procession in commemeration of the death of General George Washington, December 26th 1799 (1800)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

New Lutheran Church, in Fourth Street, Philadelphia.

New Lutheran Church, in Fourth Street, Philadelphia. (1800)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

Second Street north from Market St. w[i]th Christ Church. Philadelphia.

Second Street north from Market St. w[i]th Christ Church. Philadelphia. (1800)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

The house intended for the President of the United States, in Ninth Street Philadelphia.

The house intended for the President of the United States, in Ninth Street Philadelphia. (1799)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

The Water Works, in Center Square Philadelphia

The Water Works, in Center Square Philadelphia

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

The Water Works, in Centre Square Philadelphia.

The Water Works, in Centre Square Philadelphia. (1800)

William Russell Birch (American, 1755-1834)

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