The Cat
probably second half 19th century
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 40.7 x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 in.) framed: 51.8 x 61.9 x 5.4 cm (20 3/8 x 24 3/8 x 2 1/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch
Accession Number
1980.62.25
Art Historical Context
"The Cat" is a charming oil on canvas painting from the half of the 19 century, created by an anonymous American artist. Measuring 16 x 20 inches, this modest-sized work captures the quintessential domestic feline, likely rendered with the straightforward charm typical of American folk art traditions. During this era, everyday subjects like cats—symbols of independence, mischief, and household companionship—found their way into paintings by self-taught artists, reflecting rural or small-town life in a rapidly industrializing America. Oil on canvas was a favored medium for such works, allowing...
About the Artist
American 19th Century
The artist cataloged as "American, 19th Century" represents a collective of unidentified painters active in the United States during the nineteenth century, with 380 known artworks preserved in this virtual museum's collection. These works span a diverse array of genres typical of the era, including portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and genre scenes, reflecting the burgeoning artistic output of ...