Concert of Cats, after the painting in the collection of the Duc de Choiseul

Art Historical Context

Delightful and whimsical, *Concert of Cats* a fantastical scene of felines gathered in musical revelry, complete with instruments, books, and even insignia suggesting a mock aristocratic gathering. This tiny etching and engraving (just 3¼ x 3¾ inches) reproduces a painting once in the esteemed collection of Étienne-François, Duc de Choiseul the influential 18th-century French statesman and art patron. Created before 1, it evokes the playful tradition of anthropomorphic animal concerts popular in European art, blending humor with meticulous detail to charm viewers. The print credits a trio of masters: Crispijn de Passe the Elder, a renowned Dutch engraver known for his intricate reproductive works; Balthasar Anton Dunker, a German printmaker skilled in fine-line techniques; and Jan Brueghel the Elder, the Flemish painter famed for lush, detailed landscapes and genre scenes. Etching and engraving were ideal for such small-scale reproductions, allowing sharp lines and textures that mimic the original painting's vibrancy while making high art accessible to collectors. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, 1949), this piece highlights the era's fascination with satire and the decorative arts. It invites us to smile at cats as performers, reminding us of art's power to infuse everyday whimsy with elegance.