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Photograph - Carte de Visite

  • A carte de visite showing a young man (Dan Kelly) with a neck scarf sits on a chair with one elbow leaning on a pedestal side table

    1998.00193 Cropped

  • A carte de visits showing a young man (Dan Kelly) with a neck scarf sits on a chair with one elbow leaning on a pedestal side table

    1998.00193 Obverse

  • Reverse side of carte de visite. Has NK, Ned Kelly , 9/3/48 and a 7 in a circle. Photographic stamp unreadable other than "Caroline Kyreton".

    1998.0.0193 Reverse

  • A carte de visite showing a young man (Dan Kelly) with a neck scarf sits on a chair with one elbow leaning on a pedestal side table
  • A carte de visits showing a young man (Dan Kelly) with a neck scarf sits on a chair with one elbow leaning on a pedestal side table
  • Reverse side of carte de visite. Has NK, Ned Kelly , 9/3/48 and a 7 in a circle. Photographic stamp unreadable other than "Caroline Kyreton".

Historical information

A Carte de Visite (hereafter CdV) (also known as a calling card) was popular within the mid-19th Century. It is a small card with a photographic portrait mounted on it. These cards were exchanged during the Victorian era (peaking in the 1860s) between families and friends. This particular CdV was captured by John Paul Carolin in c.1877. Carolin was a two time Mayor of Bendigo (1889-1990 and 1907-1908) and ran a photography studio on Piper Street in Kyneton from 1866.

This photograph depicts a young Daniel “Dan” Kelly posing for his photograph while sitting on an ornate chair and leaning his elbow on a small pedestal table. Dan was approximately seven years younger than his famous brother, Edward “Ned” Kelly. He was born in 1861 to John “Red” Kelly (an Irish ex-convict) and Ellen Quinn.

In march 1878, Dan was wanted for arrest on the charge of horse stealing. This event, known commonly as the “Fitzpatrick Incident” resulted in the formation of the Kelly Gang as it is known in popular culture today. After the incident the Kelly Gang disappeared into the bush and a 100 pound award was issued for their arrest. During this period the gang robbed banks including those at Jerilderie, Euroa and Benalla.

On the 28th of June 1880, Dan Kelly died at Glenrowan in what was the Kelly Gang’s final stand: the Siege of Glenrowan. Following this event, Dan’s elder brother Ned is the sole survivor of the Kelly Gang until he is executed at the Melbourne Gaol on the 11th of November 1880. The circumstances around the deaths of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart are controversial but it is generally accepted that they died in a suicide pact inside the Ann Jones Inn.

Significance

This photograph is part of the Burke Museum "Kelly album" which includes a significant collection of photographs and artefacts connected to Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang. Ned Kelly and his gang have become ingrained in Australian popular culture and thus many museums, art galleries and private collections house material connected to the Kelly story which allows the events and people to be researched and interpreted.

Individuals like Dan Kelly played an essential part in the Kelly story which have been adapted for popular culture. The study of these individuals through their images and records can help researchers to correctly interpret their involvement with Ned Kelly and the Kelly gang.

Physical description

Sepia, rectangular, postcard on board

Inscriptions & markings

Obverse:
Carolin Photograph Kyneton /
Reverse
PHOTOGRAPHED /
FROM LIFE /
ADVANCE AUSTRALIA /
BY /
J.P. CAROLIN, /
KYNETON. /
VICTORIA. /
COPIES MAY BE HAD ON /
APPLICATION. /

DK/Dan Kelly/9 2 48/7

Subjects

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