Cats in art: 10 paintings of cats not to be missed
- 02/03/2023
Cats have long been a source of inspiration for artists around the world. These fascinating animals, which are both mysterious and independent, have been depicted many times in works of art from different periods and styles. Felines can be found in pictorial works from the Renaissance to the contemporary era.
In this article, we have selected for you 10 paintings of famous cats created by famous artists like Paul Klee, Pierre-Auguste Renoir or Pablo Picasso. Other works are from much less known painters, but just as interesting pictorially.
La Dame au Caracal
Manesenkow Tania
1 . Raminou sitting on a cloth, Suzanne Valadon
2. THe bachelor party, Louis Wain
Louis Wain is a famous British illustrator. He is famous for his paintings of anthropomorphic cats that behave like human beings. In this painting, the cats are sitting at a table celebrating a bachelor party. Each cat has bulging eyes and a cigar in its paw.
3.The white cat, Franz Marc
The White Cat is a painting by German expressionist artist Franz Marc. This oil painting dates from 1912 and features a cat sleeping on a yellow cushion. The white cat contrasts with the red and yellow background. The feline is sleeping peacefully in a place that seems warm and comfortable.
4. THE CAT AND THE BIRD, PAUL KLEE
This cubist style cat painting by Paul Klee was done in 1928. We see the head of a cat, seen from the front and in close-up. This cat has huge eyes and blue pupils. As for its muzzle, it is pink and heart-shaped. A red bird is drawn on the forehead of the cat, between its two eyes. The feline has a coat with warm colors that contrasts with the blue of the pupils and whiskers.
5. A WHITE CAT PLAYING WITH A STRING, HIROSHIGE II
A white cat playing with a rope, is a work dating from 1863, by the Japanese artist Hiroshige II. The painting represents a scene with a white cat playing with a blue rope as the main actor. The style is minimalist and the lines are pure. The white coat of the cat contrasts with the red color of its paws and eyes. The animal seems concentrated, and its look lets appear a form of aggressiveness.
6. JULIE MANET, PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR
This painting is also known as The Child with the Cat. This work was created by Pierre-Auguste Renoir in 1887. It represents Julie, a little girl sitting on a bench with her cat in her arms. In this portrait, the feline is against his young mistress and receives caresses from her. One can see an expression of satisfaction on the cat's face.
7. TWO KITTENS WATCHING A FLY, HENRIËTTE RONNER-KNIP
The Flemish artist Henriëtte Ronner-Knip painted this painting in 1891. The painting depicts an indoor scene with two kittens, one black and one white, watching for a fly. They are both climbing on a small blue cushion with bows and lace. From this cushion, they watch their prey and seem ready to pounce on the fly.
8. THE CAT'S LUNCH, MARGUERITE GÉRARD
The Cat's Lunch is a work by the French painter Marguerite Gérard. This oil painting on canvas features a large white and brown cat sitting on a fabric-covered stool. A young girl is kneeling next to the feline and presents it with a plate of milk. The animal peacefully licks the milk provided by the girl. Finally, in the background, we notice a small white dog staring at the cat as it quenches its thirst.
9. CAT DEVOURING A BIRD, PABLO PICASSO
10. GIRL WITH A KNITTED FABRIC AND A CAT, ALBERT ANKER
This work was painted by Swiss artist Albert Anker in 1903. It depicts a smiling girl sitting in a dimly lit room. In her left hand, the girl is holding knitting needles and the beginning of a work. In her right hand, she is using it to lift a white wool thread. A cat is sitting on the girl's lap. The cat stands up on its two hind legs to grab the yarn and play with it.
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