Description
For Michael by P. Buckley Moss
Introduction
For Michael by P. Buckley Moss is a 2006 limited-edition lithograph centered on a boy seated beside a woven basket filled with curious black-and-white cats. Moss strips the scene to its essentials—child, basket, and kittens—allowing personality and companionship to carry the image.
The boy’s aqua shirt, dark overalls, warm reddish-brown hair, and the natural tones of the basket create a restrained palette against an open white background. The cats introduce a playful note without overwhelming the composition, making For Michael particularly appealing to collectors of Moss’s named-child works and animal subjects.
The current Canada Goose Gallery page confirms the 2006 date, lithograph medium, numbered edition of 1,000, vertical format, 5⅝ × 4⅝-inch image size, and current price of $40.
Story Behind the Artwork
No documented artist statement supplied for For Michael identifies the boy or explains whether the title refers to a specific person, so the figure should not be given an unverified biography.
What Moss does show is a child sharing his space with a basket full of cats. The boy sits casually beside them rather than formally posing, and the kittens appear as active companions within the composition. That relationship gives the print a lighthearted, affectionate character.
For collectors, the image may recall childhood pets, the excitement of a litter of kittens, or the familiar experience of children being drawn immediately to animals. That is an editorial interpretation based on the visible scene rather than a documented statement of Moss’s intention.
Symbols & Meaning
Cats commonly carry associations with independence, curiosity, companionship, and domestic life. In For Michael, however, the most meaningful element is not abstract symbolism but the relationship between the boy and the animals sharing his space.
The basket adds another layer to the composition. It contains the kittens physically, yet their heads and paws push outward, introducing a sense of liveliness and mischief. The boy’s calm seated posture contrasts with that playful energy.
Together, child and cats create a scene that can be read as companionship with a touch of humor—an everyday relationship elevated by Moss’s uncluttered presentation.
Artistic Details
Moss uses open white space as an active part of the design. There is no room, landscape, or architectural setting to distract from the central group.
The boy forms the vertical anchor of the composition, while the basket extends horizontally from his side. This balance keeps the small image visually stable. The woven basket also provides texture against the smoother shapes of the clothing and cats.
Canada Goose Gallery identifies the palette as pale brown, aqua, black, brown, cream, rust, and tan. The contrast between the boy’s aqua shirt and black overalls gives him immediate visual presence, while the darker kittens echo the clothing and unify the composition.
Featured Master Collections
Primary Master Collection — Childhood & Storytelling
This is the strongest assignment because the boy is the central human subject. Canada Goose Gallery defines Childhood & Storytelling around children, toys, play, imagination, learning, and childhood memories.
Supporting Master Collection — Animals & Companions
The cats are equally important to the narrative rather than incidental background details. The approved Animals & Companions collection explicitly includes cats, pets, companion animals, animal friendships, and the animals that share our homes and lives.
Decorating Ideas
At 5⅝ × 4⅝ inches, For Michael is well suited to smaller spaces where an intimate work can be appreciated at close range. Consider it for a child’s bedroom, reading nook, hallway, family room, home office, or grouping of named-child and animal-themed Moss prints.
Its combination of aqua, cream, black, brown, and rust works easily with cottage, traditional, and collected-home interiors. A simple frame with generous matting would preserve the spaciousness of the original composition.
Gift Ideas
For Michael is an especially natural gift for someone named Michael, particularly because Canada Goose Gallery categorizes it among Moss’s Boy, Boy Name, Baskets, and Cats subjects.
It may also appeal to a cat lover, child or grandchild, new collector, or someone who remembers growing up with kittens or household pets. The included Certificate of Authenticity adds useful documentation for a gift intended to be kept as part of a collection.
About the Edition
For Michael was issued in 2006 as a limited, numbered lithograph on paper.
Numbered edition: 1,000
Artist’s proofs: 25, according to supplied gallery information
Image size: 5⅝ × 4⅝ inches
Paper size: 9 13/16 × 8⅜ inches
Orientation: Vertical
Condition: Mint
Certificate of Authenticity: Included
Current Canada Goose Gallery price: $40
Canada Goose Gallery independently confirms the year, lithograph medium, numbered edition of 1,000, dimensions, subject classifications, vertical orientation, and current price.
🎨 Fun Fact:
Domestic cats may owe part of their long relationship with people to the invention of agriculture. When early farming communities began storing grain, rodents were attracted to the food stores—and wildcats were attracted to the rodents. Researchers believe this useful arrangement helped bring cats into closer contact with humans thousands of years ago. Genetic and archaeological studies suggest that cats remained far less changed by domestication than many other familiar animals, which helps explain why modern house cats still retain so many behaviors of their wild ancestors. This history concerns cats generally, not the kittens depicted in For Michael.
🖼️ Collector’s Insight:
What distinguishes For Michael is the balance between stillness and mischief. The boy sits quietly, but the basket of cats immediately adds movement and personality, making the animals active participants rather than decorative accents. Moss’s decision to remove any surrounding room or landscape intensifies that relationship: the collector is left with one child, one basket, and several curious companions. For collectors who follow Moss’s named-child subjects, the work also gains interest through its crossover with her recurring cat imagery. Its 2006 date, edition of 1,000, compact scale, mint condition, and included Certificate of Authenticity provide clear edition context without relying on unsupported claims of rarity or demand.
Why Buy from Canada Goose Gallery
Canada Goose Gallery provides collectors with clear information about edition type, dimensions, condition, medium, and subject matter so each Moss work can be understood on its own terms.
For For Michael, the current gallery listing confirms a 2006 limited and numbered lithograph from an edition of 1,000, while the supplied product information confirms mint condition and an included Certificate of Authenticity.
Continue Exploring
If the combination of childhood and animal companionship in For Michael appeals to you, continue with Canada Goose Gallery’s Childhood & Storytelling Master Collection, where children, play, imagination, learning, and remembered experiences provide the connecting story.
Collectors especially drawn to the kittens can also explore Animals & Companions, which includes Cats and companion animals, and animal friendships:
For collectors building a group of named-boy prints, the current For Michael page recommends related Canada Goose Gallery works including:
Suggested Categories & Subjects:
- P. Buckley Moss Fine Art Prints
- Boy
- Boy Name
- Cats
- Animals
- Baskets
“Some childhood companions arrive four paws at a time.”
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