Domestic Squabble 1867

William Holbrook Beard created this unnamed oil on canvas, now known as "Domestic Squabble," which depicts a scene of conflict and chaos. The painting is dominated by the struggle between a monkey and a cat, set against a backdrop of disarray: broken pottery and scattered fruit litter the foreground. Beard uses sharp contrasts in light and shadow to heighten the drama of the scene, accentuating the animals' expressions of fury and surprise. The monkey, positioned on the left, has a posture of alarm, its mouth open in a possible yell. Below and to the right, the cat is upside down, also with its mouth open in a yell. This use of figuration prompts the viewer to question the symbolic relations between animals and humans and what these might mean in the context of domesticity. Ultimately, "Domestic Squabble" isn't just a simple scene; it questions the traditional roles assigned within domestic life, using animal figures to destabilize expectations.