[Byrne, the Blind Irish Harper]

Patrick Byrne (1797-1863), although blind, was a highly skilled harpist from Ireland. In April 1845 he performed in Edinburgh at one of the Waverley Balls, appearing in a tableau based on Sir Walter Scott's full-length narrative poem The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805).

This portrait of Byrne, taken at Rock House, Hill and Adamson’s residence, shows him as the central figure in Scott's (1771-1832) poem. He is seated with his harp, swathed in blankets, and wearing a wreath on his head. Extra props are visible in the image—a metal helmet on the floor and a glass and pitcher on the corner of the table—but the main focus is on Byrne, specifically his face and hands. The curious light on his countenance appears to emphasize his eyes, while the bold, striped markings on his "robe" direct attention to his right arm. The sunlight, which seems to be coming from the right side, is so strong that even the ornate markings on the harp can be seen. The photograph captures Scott's description of the musician:

The way was long, the wind was cold,
The Minstrel was infirm and old;
His withered cheek, and tresses gray,
Seemed to have known a better day.

For a variant of this image, see: 84.XO.734.4.3.18.

Anne M. Lyden. Hill and Adamson, In Focus: Photographs from the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 1999), 56. ©1999, J. Paul Getty Museum.