Gato Preto

Gato Preto (Black Cat) is a portrait of a young woman looking calmly out of the picture, a black cat held against her chest. Dark birds with spread wings perch on her head wrap, and her ruffled dress is finished with a delicate lace collar. The figure stands against a bright, empty white ground.

Ritchelly Oliveira renders every texture in charcoal, from the cat’s fur and the feathers to the lace and the folds of fabric, with a precision that reads as photographic at first glance. The white ground isolates the sitter completely, giving the portrait the presence of an icon.

Unique work, charcoal and acrylic on canvas, 100 × 80 cm (39.4 × 31.5 in). Born in Brazil in 1993 and trained in Visual Arts at the Federal University of Goiás, Ritchelly Oliveira has worked with the human figure since 2012. His work has been exhibited in Goiânia, Berlin, Miami, New York and Los Angeles, including the solo exhibition Fragility at La Brea Studio in 2023, and has appeared in international art publications such as Beautiful Bizarre.

Available for private viewing at Tilsitt Gallery in Porto, or worldwide delivery upon inquiry.