Harry H Burton is famous for his wonderful images of Tutankhamun’s treasures. Published in The Times, his photographs allowed the world to follow the most important archaeological discovery in history. Burton knew how to imbue his photographs with artistry and craftsmanship; he knew how capture the soul of the objects he photographed. And yet his story is seldom told, and his importance frequently overlooked.
In the heart of the Renaissance
The mastery that made Harry Burton the best archaeological photographer of all time began to take shape well before the discovery of KV62. He was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, in 1879, the son of a cabinetmaker and a domestic servant. Not much is known about the early years of young Harry’s life, nor why, at the age of 14, he was taken in by Robert Henry Hobart Cust, a prominent member of a high-class family. Burton received a good education under the patronage of Cust, and in 1896, when he was 17, he went with Cust to Tuscany in Italy. They were there to find information for a book about the life of a painter from the Renaissance, Giovanni Antonio Bazzi. They established their residence in Florence, and during the years in which Cust was researching, both travelled throughout the region in search of works of art to photograph, collect, and catalogue. Cust’s book was published in 1906, and in it he refers to Burton as his ‘patient painstaking secretary and companion’.
Although only two of Burton’s photographs were included in the Bazzi book, this was the seed of his future career. By the time the book was published, he had already established himself in Florence as a professional photographer. His studio was in Borgo S Jacopo, a few metres from his residence, on the other side of the Ponte Vecchio. When Cust decided to return to England and marry, Burton preferred to continue his career in Florence, and this caused a bitter rift between the two men, ending their friendship.
Secret Tunnels