Sunday, March 20, 2011

Cats in Art: Return of Odysseus

From my continuing weekly Sunday series of cats in art. I'm using some ideas from the coffee table book, The Cat in Art, by Stefano Zuffi.


Image credit hereThe Return of Odysseus (or Penelope with the Suitors, fresco transferred to canvas, c. 1509, Pinturicchhio (Bernardino di Betto)

The scene represents the explorer returning--with other suitors--to Penelope.  Inexplicably, the suitors are demanding that she finish her weaving work.  Zuffi tells us:

One of the most important figures in the scene is the large cat in the foreground, delighted to have caught a ball of thread to play with.  For him, clearly, Penelope's weaving is no problem at all.

Ball of thread?  Cat playing?  Hello--that's a match made in heaven.  Maybe one of the suitors will play with me?

 

No comments:

Post a Comment