Scrapbook page containing an engraving of the strongman, Paddy Kelly
Date1795
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsHEIGHT: 12 × 9 1/2 in. (30.5 × 24.1 cm)
ClassificationsPrints
Credit LineTibbals Circus Collection
Object numberht8000449
Like many others in this exhibition, Paddy Kelly was noted for being “remarkable.” He was almost certainly a recognized character in the Irish community near Trumpet Mountain, known particularly for his extraordinary strength. The text included below his image makes the claim that Kelly would “frequently [take] up a full-grown person on the palm of his hand off the ground and [hold] him in that situation for ten minutes.” While the image does not illustrate any pronounced physical difference, Kelly’s body is drawn with the same angularity as the landscape in which he stands, hinting at his own ruggedness.
The original distribution of this image is uncertain. While it is not listed among the print compilations that were the source for other images in this exhibit, Paddy Kelly and his extraordinary strength earned a place among all of the other remarkable people.
On View
Not on viewCollections
