Cats in Art: Children Playing With a Cat (Molenaer)

From my continuing weekly Sunday series of cats in art.  Having moved on from Stefano Zuffi's marvelous work, The Cat in Art, I am now using some ideas from Caroline Bugler's equally impressive book, The Cat/3500 Years of the Cat in Art.  

This is the first of a series of posts featuring some art from Jan Miense Moleaer, a Dutch artist from the middle 1600s.

Image credit The Aetheneum, Children Playing with a Cat, Jan Miense Molenaer, ca. 1628, oil on canvas, 26" x 21", held by Musee des Beaux-Arts, Dunkerque.

Rather than go on at length, let's keep it very simple.  This rich, cheery, well-executed painting with its vibrant yet muted colors just makes me smile after nearly 400 years.

Bottom line: two happy Dutch kids.  One somewhat disgruntled Dutch cat.  A superb composition.

[Gary note: With my Cats in Arts posts, I encourage you to scope out the art appreciation site Artsy (I have no financial interest in the site, I just like it), where you can explore many aspects of the world of art.  You'll certainly be entertained and enlightened!]