Dublin-born William Paul Dowling (c 1822–1877) worked in London as a draftsman and artist before his Irish Nationalist political activities led to his being transported to Van Diemen’s Land for sedition. Here, the Irish Catholic convict established a reputation as a portrait artist, gradually adapting to the new technology of photography. For the first time, Robert Stevens combines a look at his life, well documented through the many letters he wrote home, with an analysis of his art and photography, to reveal the story of this talented Irish patriot who made a new life in Tasmania.