A charming portrait / still life painting of four kittens by Hungarian artist Gabor Kettinger. Portraying four mischievous kittens on a desk playfully flipping through the pages of an atlas to study their geography. The cats are beautifully rendered with lifelike realism, their colorful coats contrasting with the brown and red background. Within the scene are also a magnifying glass and burnt candle. Oil on wood panel. Signed lower right Kettinger. Housed in a gilt wood frame. The wood panel measures 19 3/4" x 16 3/4". The gilt wood frame measures 22 1/2" length x 18 3/4" width. In good vintage condition overall with typical craquelure.
Gabor Kettinger is a Hungarian painter who is known for his detailed and vivid portraits of animals, particularly cats. Kettinger was born in Budapest in 1954 and studied at the Hungarian art school as an animal painter. Passionate about animals, he enjoys painting this theme very much. His style provides an impressive realistic visualization of his animal subjects, with much thought to color and pattern to convey texture and depth.
André RUELLAN, the French critique d'art (art critic) left this review of Kettinger's horse paintings:
A rare case among Gabor KETTINGER animal painters! Born in Budapest in 1954, he benefited from the teachings of the Hungarian School and his mastery is exceptional as he exhibits a quality that is both scrupulous and inventive. The animal postures are not only exact, but of an unusual intensity while the surrounding decor further accentuates this vital impression. Of course, the dresses and coats are shiny, the stallions possess a captivating and noble elegance, but, from his work according to nature, Gabor KETTINGER has retained a subtle thrill which supplants the applied realism in order to promote emotion and pleasure of the very presence of the animal. Brio of the drawing, virtue of the colors, life of the motif, what charms from this realism of conviction and panache!