PostCats

by Russell Ash (Editor), Bernard Higton (Editor), Lesley Anne Ivory (Illustrator)

“Lesley Anne Ivory’s Paintings Of Cats”, usually her own sweethearts and always felines whom she has personally met, is another beautiful album of her subjects and lifelike work. This book pairs her portraiture with famous poetry praising cats.

Genres: Cats

32 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1989

About the author

Russell Ash is best known for his annual 'The Top Ten of Everything' and other popular reference works, but he is also the author of numerous humour titles. His extensive research work encompasses biographical studies and genealogy.

Reviews

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily, instantly: England’s Lesley Anne Ivory and Ontario’s Robert Bateman are my favourite artists. They revere, respect, and represent animals with heart, soul, patience, and astonishingly accurate skill. See any of their portraiture and you will agree that their paintings are as close as they can be to real photograph likenesses. The animals’ natural homes in domestic scenes and in wild habits are just as detailed to a tee and however long it took them to finish: they are all gorgeously, magnificently, marvellous. I am happy to have so many of their books to gaze upon, commune with, and learn from.

“Post Cats: Lesley Anne Ivory’s Cat Paintings” sets her beautiful cats upon mats that fill the page, instead of household furnishings, fixtures, and personal accessories. They too highlight these precious family animals in spectacular, lovely backgrounds on all the pages, with her trademark Oriental motifs. You know these diverse beauties have to be family to Leslie, or Kitties she had ample time with whom to spend. Their looks in their intelligent eyes, their kindly emotional faces, the colourful fur that God made in every combination of gold, orange, grey, black, beige, brown, and white.... are unique beings she observed, from their perky ears to their graceful tails. I always give this vibrant, compelling artist and her memorable, dear subjects five stars!

I think some editions came with postcards. Only the British use “post” instead of “to mail” as a verb, so the title feels odd.

This sweet artbook from 1989 is receiving four stars from me but only for the distancing aspect of the text added to it. Instead of Leslie writing of the models we are seeing, the same people from numerous books, praise cats with recycled quotations. Happily, these are the most warm, profound, positive, tender musings.

[Denise みか Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally bought this book for the beautiful postcards it came with ($1.50 at the thrift store!) but when I was going through my stationery to clear out things I wasn't using, I decided to finally give the book a read. It was lovely! Of course the art is great but I was really impressed by the literary selections they decided to include. Every snippet and sonnet spoke to me deeply. These writers know cats! This isn't a book I'm going to keep in my personal library, but it would definitely make a great 15-minute read for anyone who loves cats~

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book combines lovely paintings by Lesley Anne Ivory, with sonnets and other poetry by famous people. It is fascinating to see the specific details of the various cats on the rugs, and to see the variety in the poetry!