The Cat

Amerikanische Malerei 1850–1857, probably second half 19th century

This is a painting of a large cat's head amidst birds in a forest setting. The cat's head emerges from tall grass, and the rest of its body is not visible. Its fur is a mix of brown and black with a cream area around its nose and cheeks, and it has long white whiskers. Its ears are pricked up, and its yellow eyes are looking upwards. In the cat's mouth is a bird with blue and green feathers, a black head, and a long black beak. To the left and right of the cat are two thin trees with birds in them; on the left is a bright red bird, and on the right is a bird with teal, green, and black feathers. The trees depicted have sparse branches with a few green leaves at the top. The sky behind the cat and trees is light blue.
Artist
Amerikanische Malerei 1850–1857
Date
probably second half 19th century
Type
Painting
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
40.7 × 50.8 cm
Collection
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Licence
Public domain, CC0

Image description

This is a painting of a large cat's head amidst birds in a forest setting. The cat's head emerges from tall grass, and the rest of its body is not visible. Its fur is a mix of brown and black with a cream area around its nose and cheeks, and it has long white whiskers. Its ears are pricked up, and its yellow eyes are looking upwards. In the cat's mouth is a bird with blue and green feathers, a black head, and a long black beak. To the left and right of the cat are two thin trees with birds in them; on the left is a bright red bird, and on the right is a bird with teal, green, and black feathers. The trees depicted have sparse branches with a few green leaves at the top. The sky behind the cat and trees is light blue.

Amerikanische Malerei 1850–1857