Cats in Art: Cat and Goldfish

My continuing Cats in Art series.  Another Japanese work.

Image and text credit here.  [19th century, Kuniyoshi, Cat and Goldfish, woodcut]

This woodcut by Japanese artist Kuniyoshi Kitagawa entitled Cat and Goldfish is from the series Kingyo Zukushi (Goldfish Story). Although cartoon-like in its execution, this woodcut captures the reality of the cat and goldfish relationship.

The cat is waiting to pounce, just like the famous quote from H.L. Mencken, that for me sums up the whole notion of using Ultrarunning as a vehicle to go to "the edge" to explore your physical and mental limits, whatever that means to you:

Penetrating so many secrets, we cease to believe in the unknowable. But there it sits nevertheless, calmly licking its chops.