Erwin Fabian, son of famed painter Max Fabian, was born in Berlin. In 1938, he fled to London because he was Jewish and was sent to Australia on the Dunera when war broke out. In Australia, Fabian joined the Australian army where he produced illustrations and cover designs for army publications.

Oscillating between London and Australia, Fabian built a reputation as one of the country’s finest sculptors. His sculptures are cast from scrap metal, strangely evoking the human despite their abstract forms. In this charming drawing, however, he turns to cats.

From the private collection of famed writer and curator Ursula Hoff, this work bristles with personality. Erwin’s cats are sculptural – a cityscape of felines perched unhappily atop podiums, one with a degree in hand. Here, herding cats is a monumental affair.

For connoisseurs of Australian artists, this delightful work will make you the collector that got the Fabian.

Erwin FABIAN (1915 - 2020)
'Untitled [A sheet of cat drawings]' 1981
ink on paper
Image Size: 21 x 26 cm
Dimensions: 41 x 45 x 2 cm
Signed: Signed and dated lower right: E. Fabian ‘81
Comes with Letter of Provenance
 
Condition: Very Good: Work is on very thin, transculent paper. Minor tear to the left margin and some creases, reflective of its beloved life as a doodle and fragile medium. Feel welcome to reach out for more images. 
 
© The Artist or Assignee