Antique Print, Aquatint etching, Caricature, John Kay, John Adams, Edinburgh, military, cavalry, Dragoons

"Dedicated to the Royal Edinburgh Light Dragoons” (Mr. John Adams)

Description: We see a well-rounded Mr. John Adams and his horse in full right profile. The horse is alert with ears erect, the tail blunt cut. The left rear hoof is cocked.  Adams is in the uniform of the Mid-Lothian Volunteer Cavalry. His rounded hat appears to have a medal attached to the right side while beneath it is a powdered wig. A ruffled cravat emerges at the throat of his ornate uniform jacket. He is gesturing ahead with a crop.

Genuine Antique Aquatint etching by John Kay for “Kay's Edinburgh Portraits” Published Edinburgh 1797

Condition = Excellent.Printed on Flax/hemp wove paper. The slight corrugation is due to the paper being dampened , at the time of printing, to help stretch the paper over the copper plate, and facilitate the uptake of ink in the etched grooves.

Size of paper = 19.6cm x 25.8cm (7  2/3 x 10 1/4 inch) / Plate-mark = 11cm x 15.2cm (4 1/3 x 6 1/12 inch)

Mr. John Adams, Edinburgh personality, circa 1790s

Mr. Adams originally belonged to the 16^th Light Dragoons, of which he was Quartermaster. In 1797 Mr. Adams traveled to Edinburgh to drill and organize the Mid-Lothian Cavalry. He was much respected and went on to “enjoy the Master-ship”, before dying at the age of 46 on 18^thof May 1804. He was buried in the Grey-friars Graveyard (since made famous by the “Grey-friars Bobby” statue) with military honors provided by the Edinburgh Volunteer firing party, to demonstrate the esteem and respect that he commanded.

John Kay 1742-1826) Caricaturist.

John Kay was an apprenticed barber at 13, in 1771 managed to obtain the freedom to the city of Edinburgh when he joined the Company of the Barber-Surgeons. In 1784 he published his first caricature and in the following year, he opened a small print shop on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. He flourished with his sketches, and eventually published caricatures of local characters and odd folk that emerged from the Scottish Age of Enlightenment.