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C1793
(1842)
Illustrious martyr in the glorious case of truth of freedom and of equal law.
Artist:
Portrait showing Thomas Muir (1765 – 1799) who was the most celebrated of Australia’s first political prisoners, five men who became known as the ‘Scottish Martyrs.’ Campaigning for parliamentary reform, they were sentenced in Scotland for sedition and then transported … Read Full Description
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Details
Full Title:
Illustrious martyr in the glorious case of truth of freedom and of equal law.
Date:
C1793
(1842)
Artist:
Condition:
In good condition
Technique:
Etching
Image Size:
70mm
x 110mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1842
Description:
Portrait showing Thomas Muir (1765 – 1799) who was the most celebrated of Australia’s first political prisoners, five men who became known as the ‘Scottish Martyrs.’ Campaigning for parliamentary reform, they were sentenced in Scotland for sedition and then transported to Sydney in 1794. Muir was a leader in the Edinburgh Society of the Friends of the people and was one of the most inspiring orators of the reform. He fought for rights of the poor, electoral reform, universal male suffrage and freedom of speech. Unlike others in the movement, he wanted was not revolutionary in his approach but instead wanted constitutional change. Upon arriving in Sydney, Muir was given a small brick house and purchased some farmland. Muir’s life in Sydney was uneventful politically.
Kay etched and sold his caricature portraits individually from 1784 until the 1820’s. These individually issued etchings were collected over many years by Hugh Paton and issued as, A series of original portraits and caricature etchings by the late John Kay.
John Kay (1742 - 1826)
Kay was a Scottish caricaturist and engraver. He was born near Dalkeith, where his father was a mason. At thirteen he was apprenticed to a barber, whom he served for six years. He then went to Edinburgh, where in 1771 he obtained the freedom of the city by joining the corporation of barber-surgeons. In 1784 he published his first caricature, of Laird Robertson. In 1785, induced by the favour which greeted certain attempts of his to etch in aquafortis, he took down his barber's pole and opened a small print shop in Parliament Close. There he continued to flourish, painting miniatures, and publishing at short intervals his sketches and caricatures of local celebrities and oddities, who abounded at that period in Edinburgh society. Kay's famous shop on the Royal Mile was destroyed during the Great Edinburgh Fire of November 1824.
