Original Impasto Oil Portrait of a Black Cat

This is a small-scale original painting on gallery-wrapped canvas depicting a stylized portrait of a black cat. The artwork is characterized by a heavy impasto technique, particularly within the cat's fur, where thick, textured applications of black and dark grey paint create a tactile, three-dimensional effect. The cat features striking, luminous yellowish-green eyes that serve as the focal point of the composition. The background is rendered in a more fluid, impressionistic style with a palette of muted blues, purples, and warm earthy ochres. In the lower right corner, there is a visible monogram or signature 'HW' followed by the date '04', suggesting the piece was created in 2004. The painting exhibits minor edge wear consistent with age and display, but the paint layer remains stable without significant cracking or loss. The craftsmanship is expressive and folk-art influenced, focusing on emotion and texture rather than anatomical precision. The canvas is stretched over a wooden frame, and the composition extends slightly over the edges, typical of contemporary gallery wrapping from the early 21st century.