The much anticipated portrait of Gerald the Minster Cat is now on display at York Station.
The painting was commissioned by Gerald’s owner, or as she says, the woman who fed him and paid the bills, Justine Spencer.
The portrait is by the artist Rob Martin, who has painted other cats including the one at Huddersfield Station.
Rob also made the film about Purpleman, York’s well known street artist and fundraiser.
His art is always much more than a straight portrait. He brings out a character too and as you can see it is unique.
Justine looked after Gerald on Chapter House Street. She says you didn’t own Gerald, he was always his own man.
The painting of Gerald, a friendly Bengal, who was known for welcoming visitors to the city and keeping locals company too, will have pride of place at the York Gin shop at the station.
Gerald became a tourist attraction in his own right. He was very friendly, had a very loud meow and roamed around the Minster and the footstreets.
The station, the gateway to the city, is the ideal place to find him now and Justine, who works for LNER, say she looks forward to seeing him everyday.
Rob Martin told YorkMix that he was particularly impressed by his eyes, which he says he’s been able to reproduce in a way that they will follow you around.
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He also says his fur markings were unique and quite hard to paint. He worked from numerous photographs.
“Gerald has quite a stern cat look in my view” He said. “He has that glint in his eye of dangerous cat”
Justine Spencer said she was really happy to see it on display at last and that Rob Martin had done a fantastic job capturing the spirit of Gerald.
You can visit the York Gin shop on the main concourse at York station now and see the painting yourself.
