Sleeping Cat, 1978
Signed and dated 'Craxton '78', lower left
Tempera on board
26 x 33.5 cm (10 1/4 x 13 1/4 in)
NFS
Richard Riley recalls: 'Somebody rang up and would like a little present for a friend. John took Sleeping
Cat down to the lady and she said, "Oh, I didn't want a cat! No, I wanted a landscape!" And she'd
already said, "I don't want to spend more than £50." So John went off with a couple of landscapes for
her to look at and she said, "Oh I don't think I want to pay more than £35 for that," then started to
write a cheque. John said, " For this amount of money, I want cash." And this was someone who had
plenty of dosh! So I gave John £50 for the cat and there was a drawing for this picture that turned up
at Bonhams about ten years ago, and it was put in the sale at about £6,000 to £8,000. A pretty good
return on £50.' (Andrew Lambirth, Craxton's Cats, Thames & Hudson, London, 2024, p.81)
Provenance
Private Collection, U.K.
Literature
Andrew Lambirth, Craxton's Cats, Thames & Hudson, London, 2024, pp.80-81 (ill. col. p.80)
Exhibited
London, Christopher Hull Gallery, 1978 (where titled Cat asleep)
London, Osborne Samuel, Craxton's Cats, 19th September – 4th October 2024
