“The smallest feline is a masterpiece.”

– Leonardo da Vinci

“What greater gift than the love of a cat.”

– Charles Dickens

“I always wanted to have an art gallery with a Persian cat,” local artist Christine Linson said recently in her downtown Fairhope gallery.

But when she and husband Bob traveled to Atlanta to adopt a rescue cat to live among her paintings and artwork and greet customers and friends, they did not intend to come home with two.

But that’s what happened, and the two cats, Matisse and Toulouse Lautrec, became renowned far and wide for their residence in the gallery and for their “Cat Tale” exploits, which have been captured in two books and animated movies written and illustrated by Linson.

Named after two French artists, the “gallery cats” became an integral part of the Fairhope community and developed their own separate fan base and supporters.

The more regal Matisse (or TC as she is known) often stops window-shoppers in their tracks, who do a double-take when they see her sleeping queen-like in her elegant little bed in the storefront window.

But it was Toulouse-Lautrec (or Lucy as she was known), who captured so many children’s hearts and those of so many older young-at-heart children as well, Linson said.

“When she was adopted to live at the gallery seven years ago, she was extremely shy and frightened,” Linson said. “After months of hiding in storage room boxes, she was finally coaxed out of hiding and into the gallery space. She finally decided she loved the gallery parties, art walks and fun, and hung around us constantly.”

Lucy, an 11-year-old short-haired exotic rescue cat who took up residence in the Christine Linson Gallery seven years ago and could often be seen running to catch toys thrown by children who were down on their hands and knees to play with her, was welcomed into cat heaven on Sept. 10.

“She lost all kinds of weight,” Linson said. “It soon became clear after talking with our vet that the only thing we could do, sadly, was put her down.”

Linson’s eyes welled up at that thought. but then she smiled.

“You can’t replace one, but it heals the hurt,” she said, as the newest gallery cat, Frida Kahlo (named after the Mexican artist), peeked out from behind a couch.

“Val Meyer, who fills in for me here at the shop sometimes, and is a real cat lover and volunteers at The Haven, called about 10 days after Lucy died. She said they had a beautiful little cat that needs a home.”

Kahlo has quickly made herself at home and now greets customers with a distinctive meow these days while TC snoozes on her usual comfortable throne.

“Unlike ‘Queen Matisse,’ who seeks 24-a-day adoration in her window bed, Lucy loved quiet companionship and participating in conversation,” Linson said. “She understood everything, loved being brushed and frequently suggested this activity. She was the smarter of the two, but don’t tell TC that.”

When Linson traveled to Atlanta to pick up what she thought would be the one cat, the rescue cat managers begged her to take another one who had been the other’s housemate for four years.

“They said she would never get adopted if we didn’t take her,” Linson said. “She was just too shy. We didn’t intend to go home with two cats, but that’s what we did.”

Since Lucy’s death, Linson has been concerned about what to tell the many children who have come asking about her, she said. She usually defers to their parents, depending on their age,  to explain.

”Over the years when Lucy and Matisse were not in their usual places for any length of time, the phone rang constantly requesting information about their noticeable absence,” Linson said. “We should all be so loved.”

After Lucy’s death, Christine made a small statue and shrine in her garden at her home in Lucy’s memory. It bears the trademark characteristic pink tongue that almost always stuck out from Lucy’s mouth.

“She came like that,” Linson said, with a smile in her voice this week. “We don’t really know why her tongue stuck out like that, but that’s how she’s now depicted in all the artwork I’ve done of her. It became her trademark. And for the children, they just loved her so much. And they loved to imitate her by sticking out their own tongues.”

For information about Lucy and to visit Matisse and Kahlo, the Christine Linson Gallery is located at 386 Fairhope Ave. The phone number is 929-2015 and the website is www.christinelinsongallery.com.