Doe and Hope

Description

The charming late nineteenth century oil on canvas, presented unframed, depicting a tabby cat, shown pensively, the whole on a dark background, and indistinctly signed with monogram and date, the whole in unrestored condition.

The painting is in very original condition and remains un-cleaned. There are flecked losses as photographed.

We have found a very similar picture in both size and execution which sold at auction for £700 with the same monogram but a date of 1822 so it’s possible this is a later copy or perhaps by the same hand.

To the reverse of the picture there is a Reeves stamp and a picture framers label (in part). The stamp reads REEVES & SONS, MANUFACTURERS, 113, CHEAPSIDE, LONDON. This would tie in with the date of 1882 as the same stamp can be seen on Maud Earl, Pugs, board, 1888 (Sotheby's Belgravia, 25 March 1975, lot 172) and it was used on smaller pictures from 1881-90.

The stretcher to the reverse also has pencil annotations, one with the date of 1882 and then part indecipherable text reading ‘painted by E.G. Godman (??) for Sher???’.

Cats are always a popular subject matter, yet it is hard to find good period originals and this picture merits further research.