Arthur DeFrance’s “Cats” is the kind of small original painting that earns a second look and then keeps it. Painted in oil on canvas and measuring 8 x 10 inches, it presents a tender and personal scene: an older woman seated in quiet reflection with a black-and-white cat in her arms, while a ginger cat stands close behind.
 
"CATS" and was completed in February 1995. While Arthur DeFrance is not a widely documented "blue-chip" artist in major museum databases, his work appears in the secondary market and specialized vintage collections.
 
The reverse identifies the work as “Cats,” painted in February 1995, and names the artist as Arthur DeFrance, with a birth year noted as 1934. Public biographical information on the artist appears to be limited, but the painting itself carries the details collectors want to see: title, date, signature, and a clearly individual hand.
This piece offers several things buyers consistently respond to:
an emotionally engaging subject,
strong cat and animal-lover appeal,
soft painterly handling and a warm domestic atmosphere,
the authenticity of a one-of-one signed oil,
and a scale that makes it easy to place in almost any room.
Condition is very good vintage overall. Signed lower left. Light edge wear, minor handling/storage wear, and some loose threads at the outer perimeter are visible. The canvas appears free of obvious punctures, major paint loss, or visible repairs. Unframed.
After 5 decades in this industry, and with me now being vintage as well, I still enjoy finding pieces that do something many larger works fail to do: they connect instantly. This is a sincere, intimate original with real decorative and emotional presence.
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