Paul Kane
was born, in Mallow, Country Cork, Ireland. In the year 1819, Michael Kane,
Paul's father, brought his family to Toronto. At the age of sixteen, Paul
showed a natural artistry in decorating furniture. His employer was
impressed with his work and encouraged him to paint. With the encouragement
of William Conger, Paul apparently painted on his own. The young Kane
daringly tried his hand at the most difficult style of painting -
portraiture. A few of his early portraits are in the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
His portrait of Michael Empey, a member of the Legislative Assumably of
Upper Canada, is a small oil painting on paper. In 1841, he travelled on to
Paris and took the opportunity to visit the galleries. In 1859, his book
"Wandering of an Artist among the Indians of North America, From Canada to
Vancouver's Territory and Back Again", was published. The book was an
immediate bestseller. The first edition was soon sold out. French, Danish
and German editions were issued in rapid succession. He and his wife
Harriet had four children, two sons and two daughters. Kane seems to have
been a man of standing in the Toronto community. He died, February 20,
1871.
