John Kay, Drawn and Engraved by Himself (Self Portrait with Cat)

Kay portrays himself in profile, seated in an old armchair, holding a rolled paper and pointing to a book. A table at right supports a palette, paintbox and tools used by etchers and barbers. Above these, a scowling classical bust asserts the high demands of art and philosophy. Kay's contemplative pose, gesture, and the prominence given to the bust, together communicate his admiration for the ideals of the Scottish Enlightenment–many of whose participants Kay had, or soon would, portray. More whimsically, the fixed gaze of a large cat on the back of his chair, echoes that of the philosopher to reminds us of Kay's humbler, often comical subjects. The scissors, comb and razor on the table point to his previous profession of barber–something he practiced until a bequest in 1785 freed him to become a full-time printmaker. Framed landscapes and portraits on a wall behind may represent early efforts at etching.