+    style = gtk_rc_get_style(widget);
+    if (!style)
+        style = gtk_widget_get_default_style();
+
+    if (!style)
+    {
+        return wxWindow::GetClassDefaultAttributes(wxWINDOW_VARIANT_NORMAL);
+    }
+
+    if (state == -1)
+        state = GTK_STATE_NORMAL;
+
+    // get the style's colours
+    attr.colFg = wxColour(style->fg[state].red   >> SHIFT,
+                          style->fg[state].green >> SHIFT,
+                          style->fg[state].blue  >> SHIFT);
+    if (useBase)
+        attr.colBg = wxColour(style->base[state].red   >> SHIFT,
+                              style->base[state].green >> SHIFT,
+                              style->base[state].blue  >> SHIFT);
+    else
+        attr.colBg = wxColour(style->bg[state].red   >> SHIFT,
+                              style->bg[state].green >> SHIFT,
+                              style->bg[state].blue  >> SHIFT);
+
+    // get the style's font
+    // TODO: isn't there a way to get a standard gtk 1.2 font?
+    attr.font = wxFont( 12, wxSWISS, wxNORMAL, wxNORMAL );
+
+    return attr;
+}
+
+
+//static
+wxVisualAttributes
+wxControl::GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(wxGtkWidgetNew_t widget_new,
+                                             bool useBase,
+                                             int state)
+{
+    wxVisualAttributes attr;
+    // NB: we need toplevel window so that GTK+ can find the right style
+    GtkWidget *wnd = gtk_window_new(GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
+    GtkWidget* widget = widget_new();
+    gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(wnd), widget);
+    attr = GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(widget, useBase, state);
+    gtk_widget_destroy(wnd);
+    return attr;
+}
+
+//static
+wxVisualAttributes
+wxControl::GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(wxGtkWidgetNewFromStr_t widget_new,
+                                             bool useBase,
+                                             int state)
+{
+    wxVisualAttributes attr;
+    // NB: we need toplevel window so that GTK+ can find the right style
+    GtkWidget *wnd = gtk_window_new(GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
+    GtkWidget* widget = widget_new("");
+    gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(wnd), widget);
+    attr = GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(widget, useBase, state);
+    gtk_widget_destroy(wnd);
+    return attr;
+}
+
+
+//static
+wxVisualAttributes
+wxControl::GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(wxGtkWidgetNewFromAdj_t widget_new,
+                                             bool useBase,
+                                             int state)
+{
+    wxVisualAttributes attr;
+    // NB: we need toplevel window so that GTK+ can find the right style
+    GtkWidget *wnd = gtk_window_new(GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
+    GtkWidget* widget = widget_new(NULL);
+    gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(wnd), widget);
+    attr = GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(widget, useBase, state);
+    gtk_widget_destroy(wnd);
+    return attr;