Sunday, November 27, 2011

The King o' the Cats (print for sale)





The King o' the Cats (print for sale)

One of the 6 new prints I created for my solo show Wunderkabinett last week-end.

Gather 'round Ladies and Gentlemen, and I shall share with you the tale of the King o' the Cats.

A man one night was travelling to the house of a friend. Lost in the fog on the way there he espied a light ahead of him, which he followed to an old and gnarled hollow willow tree. Peering within he saw a tiny wooden coffin surrounded by feline mourners, each holding a candle between its paws. Startled by this sight, he ran on until he reached at last his friend’s door.

By the roaring hearth he recounted all he had just witnessed on his journey to his incredulous host and his wife. As he finished the tale the tom-cat asleep by the fireside sat suddenly bolt upright and declared aloud - ‘Then Old Peter is Dead. And I am King o’the Cats!’. With which, he disappeared up the chimney, never to be seen again.

The folktale is generally thought to be Scottish, but other regional versions exist across the country. In Oxford-shire the same tale is told, but this time with Tim Toldrum (and not Old Peter) as the name of the deceased cat!

Printed for me by the talented Mr Yann Brien of Handwash Studios, the print measures 29.7 cm wide by 42 cm down (A3), and has 2 colours. It is a limited edition of 50 (although quite a few have sold already!) and is available from my Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulBommer) at the very reasonable price of £45 plus P&P. Snatch him up whilst you may!

3 comments:

Clive Hicks-Jenkins said...

I have seen Dave and Philippa's copy of this, purchased by them at your sell-out exhibition! I greatly covet it, and may have to pay a visit to your Etsy shop!

Paul Bommer said...

Thanks Clive. Its a great story and one that's captivated me for years, so delighted to finally commit him to print.
Sorry I've not been in touch more of late, things have been manic. Great, but totally manic.

ElizT said...

These are all most spraggle-worthy.
And covetable.