Sale is Cat's Whiskers for feline fanatics

Whimsical watercolours, pastels and greetings cards of cats, by one of the greats of 20th-century British art, could make the fur fly at auction, writes Charles Hanson

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If you say the words “artists’ colony” to anyone in this region, chances are it would be St Ives that springs to mind.

The Cornish town became famous in the 19th century when artists flocked there, attracted to its unique light, huge seas and rugged cliffs.

I was reminded of another artistic colony when a vendor from Portreath brought in a very special collection to our Penzance saleroom.

The works are even more special if, like me, you are a cat lover.

Made up of watercolours, pastels and greetings cards, they are by the British artist and feline fanatic John Craxton (1922-2009).

You might not immediately know the name but, before he quit the UK, Craxton was among the best-known artists of the 20th century, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon and Graham Sutherland.