Early 20th Century Oil Painting, Arthur Heyer, Portrait of a Persian Cat

1900 - 1920

Sold by Brave Fine Art

Description

An early 20th-century portrait of a beautiful Persian cat by German-Hungarian painter, Arthur Heyer (1872-1931).

Heyer was a respected painter of animal portraits and particularly well known for his fascination with white cats. Throughout his career, he painted so many white felines that his peers dubbed him ‘Cat’ Heyer.

This particular lady was probably painted as a commission during his time in Budapest. It’s easy to imagine that he was the ‘go-to guy’ if you had a Persian or Angora.

The painting is signed in the lower right and housed within a swept foliate frame with pierced ornamentation.

Medium: Oil on canvas

Overall size: 23½” x 19½” / 60cm x 50cm

Year of creation: c. 1910

Provenance: Germany

Condition: The canvas is a little undulant and there are two bumps on the right-hand side (which are only visible in certain lights). The frame has some surface losses and cracks.

Artist’s auction highlight: £8,367 achieved for ‘Three White Angora Kittens’ at Bonhams in 1989 (80cm x 59cm).

Physical Dimensions

Height

50cm (19.69")

Width

60cm (23.62")

Depth

2cm (0.79")

Declaration

Brave Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1910s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA716825

Description

An early 20th-century portrait of a beautiful Persian cat by German-Hungarian painter, Arthur Heyer (1872-1931).

“

Heyer was a respected painter of animal portraits and particularly well known for his fascination with white cats.

Brave Fine Art

Throughout his career, he painted so many white felines that his peers dubbed him ‘Cat’ Heyer.

fig 1. Early 20th Century Oil Painting, Arthur Heyer, Portrait of a Persian Cat

This particular lady was probably painted as a commission during his time in Budapest. It’s easy to imagine that he was the ‘go-to guy’ if you had a Persian or Angora.

The painting is signed in the lower right and housed within a swept foliate frame with pierced ornamentation.

fig 2. Early 20th Century Oil Painting, Arthur Heyer, Portrait of a Persian Cat

Medium: Oil on canvas

Overall size: 23½” x 19½” / 60cm x 50cm

Year of creation: c. 1910

Provenance: Germany

Condition: The canvas is a little undulant and there are two bumps on the right-hand side (which are only visible in certain lights). The frame has some surface losses and cracks.

Artist’s auction highlight: £8,367 achieved for ‘Three White Angora Kittens’ at Bonhams in 1989 (80cm x 59cm).