Liggende kat 1886 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing of a resting cat, on paper, but the date is unknown. Look at how the charcoal dusts the page, like it was laid down with feeling, in quick bursts and lines. I imagine Breitner with a sketchbook always by his side, capturing moments, and a cat, that’s always a perfect subject, right? It’s not just a cat; it’s the essence of cat-ness. The way the animal's form is reduced to a few strokes, yet it's all there, the curve of the back, the paws tucked in. I think he must have been looking for something beyond just the surface, something deeper, more like a feeling of intimacy with this animal. It is like the cat and the artist both paused, for just long enough for this trace to appear.