Street in Newport c. 1945

This is ‘Street in Newport’ by William Newport Goodell. In the print, a cat darts through the shadows of an evening street scene. It is an archetypal figure—the black cat as a harbinger of fate. Consider how the motif of the cat has wound its way through our collective psyche. In Ancient Egypt, cats were revered, emblems of grace and domesticity. Yet, by the Middle Ages, a transformation occurred—the cat became a symbol of witchcraft, a nocturnal familiar. Superstitions were projected onto it, embodying a primal fear of the unknown. The image of the cat has persisted. This is not merely a depiction of an animal, but the surfacing of deeply rooted associations. It is a psychological mirror, reflecting our fears, superstitions, and subconscious projections. In Goodell’s image, the cat adds a subtle layer of tension to the scene, a disquieting presence that stirs our ancestral memories. The symbol continues its cyclical journey, adapting and echoing across time.