3-035-699 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Woman with a Cat, 1878. Additional Info: In a quiet and contemplative moment, an elderly woman sits in a chair, holding a black cat. Against the light-filled and rather sparse setting, the bright stripes of her skirt and striking black of the cat’s fur draw our eyes to this focal point of the composition. The woman’s pose, with head bowed to the side and hands gently embracing the cat, seems to reflect an emotional bond between the two. Her body language recalls traditional European images of motherhood and even Christian depictions of Mary with her infant son Jesus.