Elizabeth Liddell, later Mrs. Robert Hodshon Cay, (22 February 1770 – 1831) was an amateur British artist specialising in pastel portraits. She was wife of

Robert Hodshon Cay Robert Hodshon Cay FSSA LLD (7 July 1758 – 31 March 1810) was Judge Admiral of Scotland overseeing naval trials. He was husband of the artist Elizabeth Liddell, father of John Cay FRSE and maternal grandfather of James Clerk Maxwell. Life Ca ...

, mother of John Cay, mother-in-law of

John Clerk-Maxwell of Middlebie John Clerk (later Clerk Maxwell) of Middlebie (1790–1856) was a Scottish advocate and father of the mathematical physicist James Clerk Maxwell. Life He was born in Edinburgh on 10 November 1790, the son of Janet Irving and Captain James Clerk ...

and grandmother of

James Clerk Maxwell James Clerk Maxwell (13 June 1831 – 5 November 1879) was a Scottish mathematician and scientist responsible for the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, which was the first theory to describe electricity, magnetism and ligh ...

Life

Liddell was the daughter of John Liddell (1735–1802) of Dockwray Square in

North Shields North Shields () is a town in the Borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth. Since 1974, it has been in the North Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wea ...

and Jane Hubback (1736–1805). Her father is thought to have been a ship-owner, probably establishing the naval link to her future husband. She married Robert Hodshon Cay, a noted Scottish judge, in 1789. Liddell studied under the British artist Archibald Skirving and from him, she learned to paint pastels and portraits. She also had contact with Sir

Henry Raeburn Sir Henry Raeburn (; 4 March 1756 – 8 July 1823) was a Scottish portrait painter. He served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland. Biography Raeburn was born the son of a manufacturer in Stockbridge, on the Water of Leith: a fo ...

who is known to have painted both her husband Robert and her mother. William Bewick is also known to have painted her sister, Barbara. In 1797 she is recorded as having an adult baptism at the Charlotte Chapel in Rose Street, Edinburgh (near

Charlotte Square 300px, Robert Adam's palace-fronted north side Charlotte Square is a garden square in Edinburgh, Scotland, part of the New Town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The square is located at the west end of George Street and was intended ...

) indicating conversion to the

Baptist Church Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

. Following the death of her husband Robert in 1810, she continued to live in the family home (11 Heriot Row) until death. Her son John Cay shared the house until around 1825, before moving to 5 South East Circus Place, slightly to the north. She died in Edinburgh on 27 October 1831. She is buried in

Restalrig Restalrig () is a small residential suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland (historically, an estate and independent parish). It is located east of the city centre, west of Craigentinny and to the east of Lochend, both of which it overlaps. Restalrig ...

Churchyard, just north of the church.

Works

While other works undoubtedly exist the only portraits of known named persons exist as a group at the James Clerk Maxwell Museum at 14 India Street in Edinburgh. *Self-portrait *John Cay (her son) *Jane Cay (her daughter) *Frances Cay (mother of

) *Robert Dundas Cay (her son) Other more vague works include: *Portrait of the blacksmith (bequeathed to her daughter Jane in her will) Her box of art materials is held by the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

in London. The box proves her pastel work was applied by cloth or brush rather than in stick form.

Family

Liddell married Robert Hodshon Cay of North Charlton in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

in 1789. They had nine children, including: *John Cay *Frances Hodshon Cay (wife of

and mother of James Clerk Maxwell) *Robert Dundas Cay (lawyer to James Clerk Maxwell)

References

1770 births 1831 deaths British women painters Pastel artists People associated with Edinburgh 18th-century British painters 18th-century British women artists 19th-century British painters 19th-century British women artists {{UK-painter-18thC-stub