| KAY | KEA |
Her works are numerous, and will be found in many of the collections which date from her time, though they are now held in little esteem. Her reputation was widely spread by the numerous engravings from her paintings. Ryland, Bartolozzi, and Schiavonetti engraved after her, and Alderman Boydell published no less than 60 of her works. Yet, though her paintings were gay and pleasing in colour, they are weak and faulty in drawing, and lack life and originality. They are chiefly taken from the classics and her own poets, and all partake of the same effeminate stamp. There are some slight etchings by her.
KAY, John, miniature painter and caricaturist. He was born near Dalkeith, in April 1742. His father was a stonemason, and destined him for the same business, but dying early, he was placed with some relatives, who treated him with much cruelty. At the age of 13 he was apprenticed to a barber in Dalkeith, and after serving with him six years came to Edinburgh and set up for himself. The trade was a lucrative one in those days, and he throve in his shop. He had, as a boy, made some attempts at drawing, and he now in his leisure tried some miniatures. His likenesses were faithful, and a wealthy customer assisted him to pursue art, and dying in 1782, his son settled upon him an annuity of 20l. a year; and with this help he abandoned his trade, and depended upon his limning, to which he added etching.
His principal employment was as a miniature painter. His works were minutely finished, and he managed to seize a likeness strong in the peculiarities of his sitter—full of individuality, but without art, of which he was ignorant, or flattery. In 1784 he published an etched caricature of a well-known crazed individual, which attracted notice, and led him to attempt others. These possessed the same qualities as his miniatures—caricatures, but extreme in their resemblance, humorous, exaggerating, and intensifying little points of character, they gave offence. Many were bought and destroyed. The artist was cudgeled and charges brought against him before the magistrates. Yet his works are only the exaggeration of truths, and are not offensive. They are highly interesting, elaborately minute in finish, but, like his miniatures, make no attempt at art—the offspring of great natural, but untaught genius. He died 1830.
He etched nearly 900 plates, perpetuating the characters, during nearly half a century, of persons of every class in Edinburgh, and his small shop-window was filled with these productions. His etchings are published in two quarto volumes, under the title of 'Kay's Edinburgh Portraits.'
KAY, Joseph, architect. Was born in 1775, and was a pupil of Cockerell, R.A. About 1802 he went to Italy, and studying some time in Rome returned in 1805. The east side of Macklenburgh Square was designed by him in 1812. He was appointed architect to the General Post Office in 1814, and designed the new Post Office in Edinburgh. In 1823 he received the appointment of architect to Greenwich Hospital, and designed several alterations which have greatly improved the hospital approaches. He was also architect to the Foundling Hospital. He died in Gower Street, December 7, 1847.
KEAN, Michael, miniature painter. He was born in Dublin, and studied in the Dublin Academy, where he gained the gold medal in 1779. He was originally a pupil of Edw. Smith, the sculptor, but he turned to miniature painting, practising at the same time in crayons. He came to London, and between 1786-90 exhibited crayon portraits at the Royal Academy. At the early part of the 19th century he became a partner in the Derby China works. He died in London in 1823.
KEANE, John B., architect. He held an appointment in the Dublin Office of Works, and practised for many years in Dublin. He sent a 'Design for a Temple' to the Academy Exhibition in London in 1840, but was not again a contributor. He designed two large Roman Catholic churches, and in 1846-50 the Queen's College Galway. He died October 7, 1859.
KEARNEY, William Henry, water-colour painter. His works were chiefly landscape, though he sometimes tried figures. He was one of the foundation members and a vice-president of the Institute of Painters in Water-Colours. His works, which were well esteemed, were careful, simply coloured, and painted in the early pure manner. One of his last exhibited works was 'Love's young Dream.' He died June 25, 1858, in his 58th year.
KEARSLEY, T., portrait painter. He practised in London with some repute about the end of the 18th century. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1792 to 1802. He painted several theatrical portraits, some of them whole-lengths.
KEATE, George, amateur. He was born at Trowbridge, of a good family, about 1729. Educated for the Bar, he travelled, became fond of art, and was admitted a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists. He was an honorary exhibitor at the Academy from 1770, with some intermission, to 1789, his contributions being chiefly coast views. He published his 'Sketches from Nature, taken and coloured in a journey to Margate,' in two volumes, 1779. The illustrations were on wood, and the writing a weak imitation of Sterne's
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