Thomas François Cartier (1879–1936) – Rare Siamese Cat, Mixed Media On Board, 1933, Dedicated

Thomas François CARTIER (1879–1936)
Siamese Cat – 1933
Mixed media on board, gouache with pencil/pastel highlights
Signed, dated and dedicated to his friend Yves Paret

A beautiful and rare original work on board by French animal artist Thomas François Cartier, best known for his important body of animal sculpture.

Executed in 1933, only three years before the artist’s death, this striking work depicts a majestic Siamese cat seated in profile, rendered with remarkable presence and great graphic elegance.

Cartier gives the animal a monumental place within the composition. The cat’s pale, powerful body stands out against a subtle, muted background, while the warm reddish-brown foreground provides depth and contrast.

The treatment of the fur is particularly expressive. Over the coloured ground, Cartier applied numerous light, rapid and energetic strokes, gradually building up the animal’s volume, musculature and coat. The dark mask, ears and paws contrast beautifully with the lighter body, while the long black tail forms a sweeping curve across the foreground, giving the composition an exceptionally decorative quality.

The work possesses the distinctive elegance of the 1930s, with its stylised silhouette, restrained composition and strong graphic character, perfectly reflecting the spirit of the Art Deco period.

The history of the work makes it particularly interesting.

It is signed by Thomas François Cartier, dated 1933 and bears a personal dedication to his friend Yves Paret.

According to the family history accompanying the work, Yves Paret, born in 1901, was a personal friend of Cartier. The work subsequently remained within the Paret family and was passed down by descent to its present owner. A family document relating to Yves Paret has also been preserved.

This direct family provenance gives the work a particularly personal character: it is not simply a signed animal study, but an original work dedicated by Cartier to one of his friends and preserved within the recipient’s family.

Thomas François Cartier is primarily known today for his sculptures of dogs, wild animals and felines. His original works on paper or board are considerably less frequently encountered on the art market, making this large composition particularly appealing for its subject, dimensions, date and provenance.

The work is executed on board, using mixed media, apparently combining gouache with pencil and/or pastel highlights. It is preserved under glass in its original period frame.

The reverse retains the old label of G. Debenais, Fabrique Générale d’Encadrements, Bordeaux, an interesting element relating to the history of the work.

The period frame shows some minor signs of age and wear, which have deliberately been left untouched in order to preserve its authenticity and original character.

Sight dimensions: 60 × 45 cm
Overall dimensions including frame: 70 × 55 cm

Provenance: former collection of Yves Paret, a friend of Thomas François Cartier according to family tradition; subsequently passed down within the Paret family to the present owner.

A rare and highly characterful animal work by Thomas François Cartier, combining the elegance and decorative strength of the 1930s with an unusually personal and well-preserved family provenance.