Cats at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec

As I was browsing the website of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (I live a 10 to 15 minute walk away), I've discovered they have an online exhibits on their art featuring cats! Click here to visit (and by the way, it took me a while to figure out you're supposed to browse using the middle click of your mouse).

The Woman and the Cat
by Gertrude Des Clayes, before 1936.

Townsends Talks Cats in the 18th Century

I always enjoy watching Townsends' videos for reenactors. This week, they are discussing our feline friends in the 1700s. 

Cats: The Soft Underbelly of the Enlightenment

 Jean-Baptiste Oudry, Le Général, 1728. Detail.

Academia is gradually turning to more “open access” methods of publishing rather than depending on stuffy, expensive journals. Instead of the usual expensive subscription needed to enjoy the latest research, the general public can now browse for themselves recent scholarship free of charge. I’ve had the pleasure of discovering this week one such resource: Journal18, described as “the first journal dedicated to the field of eighteenth-century art history”. Each issue has a theme, the latest one as of this writing being “Animals”.

Well, dear cat lovers, I would invite you to read this excellent article which reflects on the evolution of the cat as an allegory in 18^th century art. It is a fascinating journey through period representations of felines, the early days of biology, philosophy, and political theory.

Freund, Amy, et Michael Yonan, « Cats: The Soft Underbelly of the Enlightenment », Journal18: A Journal of Eighteenth-Century Art and Culture, Volume 7, (Spring 2019). Online: http://www.journal18.org/issue7/cats-the-soft-underbelly-of-the-enlightenment/

The Aberdeen Bestiary

Heads up for those who love illuminated manuscript! The University of Aberdeen has just digitized this beautiful bestiary. Check it out! http://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/

Cat-Crazy Japan

Japan's obsession with cats isn't a recent thing... just hop over to iO9 to see for yourself: Even In 19th Century Japan, People Loved To See Cats Doing Human Things

Art & Cats

I've just run across this wonderful blog, It's About Time. Though not just about cats, you can find many great representations of felines in various paintings. My personal favourite is this strange football-looking puss painted by none other than George Catlin. Check it out!