Sunday, June 23, 2013

Cats in Art: Child and Cats (Bonnard)

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.

This is part 7 of 8 of a multiweek study of the cat art of Pierre Bonnard, a French painter (1867-1947). In this series I've moved beyond the two pieces featured by Zuffi and am now studying the rest of Bonnard's cat paintings in chronological order.






Image credit WikiPaintings, Child and Cats, Pierre Bonnard, 1940s, oil on canvas, no other information

 
Just like last week's post, we have the theme of a kitty trying to share a meal with a little girl....except different girl, different cat.  Plus there are two cats in this painting: the second one is lying in the girl's lap, being stroked.
 
And the kitty on the left is clearly annoyed; its ears are quite flattened.  At first glance one would think that the issue is probably over not being the one petted.  However, look at the gray cat's and the girl's eyes: they are focused on something across the table from them and to the viewer's right.
 
And the lap cat is about ready to bolt, although seemingly oblivious to whatever has riveted the attention of the others.
 
Plenty to wonder about in what first glance seems to be a fairly "normal" painting.  Once again, Bonnard adds some drama and keeps the viewer guessing a bit.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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