Kat krabt een zittende vrouw c. 1660s

Gesina ter Borch sketched this intimate scene, "Cat scratches a seated woman," using pen in brown ink. Observe the woman and the cat, locked in a tender yet fraught embrace. Cats, throughout history, have symbolized both domesticity and untamed wildness, embodying contradictory aspects of the human psyche. Here, the cat's scratch introduces an element of conflict into the domestic sphere, a subtle disruption. This resonates with ancient Egyptian associations of cats with goddesses, representing independence and feminine power, which, when provoked, can manifest in unexpected ways. The underlying tension reminds us that even in moments of apparent tranquility, there is a latent potential for discord, mirroring our own internal struggles. The image serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between control and chaos, a theme that echoes across various cultural epochs and resonates within our collective unconscious.