Felina with a Kitten 1788

Joshua Reynolds painted this canvas showing a girl holding a cat, sometime in the late 18th century. It is a simple enough image, but it reflects a great deal about the social role of the portrait in England at that time. Reynolds was the first president of the Royal Academy and he was extremely influential in establishing portraiture as the most important form of painting in England. In a portrait like this, the wealth and status of a family would be demonstrated through carefully chosen visual codes. This young girl is dressed in an expensive gown and she is rendered with the kind of soft idealized beauty that Reynolds was known for. The cat in her arms is more than just a pet; it is a symbol of domesticity and refinement. To understand this painting better, we can research the history of the Royal Academy and read the artist's own discourses on art. By paying attention to the social and institutional context of art, we can better understand its meaning and its value.