Cat Licking Wax from a Candleholder c. 1650 - 1654

Cornelis Visscher's "Cat Licking Wax from a Candleholder," is a drawing rendered in delicate graphite lines. The octagonal frame neatly contains the seemingly banal scene of a cat drawn to the sweet remnants of a candle. Visscher uses a restricted palette of grey tones to concentrate the eye on form and texture, the composition guides us to consider the cat's peculiar interaction with its environment. The cat, though the focal point, is framed by the rigid lines of the furniture, set against a softly shaded background that blurs depth. The sharp angles of the furniture contrast with the cat's rounded form, which is further echoed in the circular base of the candleholder, creating a visual dialogue between organic and geometric shapes. This interplay hints at the integration of the domestic sphere with the unpredictable nature of the animal; a meeting of the structured and the spontaneous. While seemingly simple, the drawing invites contemplation on the everyday objects and their occupants, as Visscher highlights the cat's gesture, thus emphasizing the semiotic potential of mundane moments.