Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Scots caricaturist has champion in McCall Smith

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Scottish miniature-painter and caricaturist John Kay (1742-1826) has not gotten the recognition he deserves, or so believes Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. Smith thinks Kay deserves a more prominent place in Edinburgh's historical pantheon and along with a group of like-minded campaigners he has done something about it. Last week, Smith unveiled a memorial stone near Kay's unmarked grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard. A bronze plaque will also be unveiled at Kay's former home on 227 High Street. Tim Cornwell spoke with Alexander McCall Smith for the September 17 edition of The Scotsman.



John Kay's 900 or so engravings are caricatures from all walks of life. Subjects range from beggars and criminals to the founding father of economics, Adam Smith. London's National Portrait Gallery has a searchable database of John Kay's works and some of Kay's work is available for sale.



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Alexander McCall Smith makes his Celebrity Series debut at John Hancock Hall on April 20 with a program entitled, "On Being A Serial Novelist." 



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