Studies van poes Lola c. 1884 - 1887

Willem Witsen rendered these sketches of his cat, Lola, with pencil on paper. Cats, those enigmatic creatures, have long been symbols traversing cultures. From ancient Egypt, where they were revered as deities, protectors of the home and embodiments of grace, to their later association with witchcraft in medieval Europe, the cat holds a rich tapestry of symbolic meaning. Note the cat’s posture: upright, attentive, with a hint of alertness in its eyes. This pose echoes in countless depictions throughout art history, suggesting a creature both self-possessed and observant. Consider the psychological depth embedded in this simple animal study. The image of the cat, ever shifting in its cultural valence, reminds us that symbols are not static but rather in perpetual motion, adapting and accruing new layers of meaning as they journey through time.