Cats in Art: The Hermitage Court Chamber Herald Cat (Zakirov)

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.

I'm shaking things up a bit: instead of looking to the past, for the next couple weeks I'm featuring a series of contemporary digital art by Eldar Zakirov (whose website is here).  I found Zakirov via the always-great site Boing Boing (link here).

Image credit here.  The Hermitage Court Chamber Herald Cat, Eldar Zakirov, 2012, media and size information unavailable.

This image epitomizes the pedestal upon which many of us place our cats.  These pets are at once regal, haughty, imperial, you name it.  Or at least treated as such, even if not having those actual characteristics.

The realism of the kitty is nearly photo-like.  And the over-the-top tail, poking out of the back of the scarlet coat, truly adds the whipped cream and cherry to this image.

I like the idea of including some contemporary art in my Cats in Art series, although the old paintings are where my heart is.

At any rate, enjoy--or at least bear with me for a couple weeks--my Eldar Zakirov side trip!