Craxton’s cats

A picture book of cats depicted by John Craxton, one of the major figures of modern British painting, with an introduction and commentary by Andrew Lambirth, who knew Craxton well. By concentrating on a single subject very dear to John Craxton’s heart – cats – this book offers a much more accessible introduction to this popular artist (championed by David Attenborough and Andrew Marr among many others) than the recently published biography and monograph. Craxton’s significance as the early artist companion of Lucian Freud, his time in Greece and his collaborations with Patrick Leigh Fermor have generated growing interest in his art. For John Craxton, cats were an index of moods and states of mind, and a splendidly apposite vehicle for his visual and verbal wit. Craxton loved cats and lived with them, on and off, for most of his life.