John George Day, Irish, 1854-1931
Title: Portrait of John Redmond, MP (1856-1918), Leader of Irish Parliamentary Party
Date: 1914
Medium: Etching
Dimensions:
Sheet: 27.7 x 21.7 cm
Plate: 22.5 x 17.4 cm
Signed: lower left: sunrise symbol [artist's mark in plate];
lower right: John Day
on verso: 4th April 1914
Credit Line: Presented, 1976
Object Number: NGI.11419
DescriptionDay was born in Tralee, County Kerry. He served with the British Army in Afghanistan and China. On retirement from active service he began etching seriously. In 1913 he etched this portrait of John Redmond MP, leader of the Home Rule Party. The following year he produced a companion portrait of Edward Carson MP, staunch unionist and bitter opponent of Home Rule. This bold etching is signed in the plate with Day's distinctive sunrise symbol. Both portraits were published in the Illustrated London News in April 1914.