Portraits and figures

Portrait of Za with Cat

Kees van Willigen · 1915–1990

Date

1989

Medium

Oil painting

Size

50 x 34 cm

Second portrait of Laza (Za), begun the day after she had her hair cut. The neck is wider than she would have liked: Kees van Willigen sought to paint what the flesh prevents us from seeing.

In front of her stands an imaginary animal, a cross between a cat and a mouse. A crab-shaped jewel is pinned to her shirt, and the painter signed on the plate.