Oil on hardboard. Signed and annotated by the artist.
Monique Cras was born in 1910. It is likely these paintings were produced quite early in her career. They are skilled sketches rendered on board that is old and quite rough in texture. Later in her life Monique travelled travelled to Africa and painted the people she met on her journeys; but these are the people she knew in her youth.
The first is a portrait of her grandmother. This is written in the bottom right hand corner, ‘Grandmere CRAS’. On the reverse a dark image of an unknown person.
It measures 34.5 x 27 cms. .
The second is of the artist’s uncle. Written on the top left ‘Portrait de l’oncle (chirurgien) -Ferraton cousin de ma mere Isanna Cras (nee Paul)’ which translates as ‘Portrait of my uncle (surgeon) Ferraton cousin of my mother Isanna Cras (nee Paul). On the reverse ‘avec lui j’ai fait l’anatomie’ , which means ‘I studied anatomy with him.
It measures 38.5 x 27 cms.
Condition: Very Good. The corners are worn and there is wear to the edges. There is a small scratch on the surface of the painting of the grandmother. The artist’s signature and the annotations has been written in biro I think at a later date than the manufacture of the paintings; but they are definitely authentic.
