Liggende poes 1617 - 1731

This is an engraving called ‘Liggende poes’, or ‘Reclining Cat’, by an anonymous artist. Given its style and subject matter, it most likely dates back to the 17th or 18th century, when there was growing interest among the bourgeoisie in depictions of domestic life and the natural world. The image presents us with a curled up cat in a domestic setting. Its gaze is direct and self-possessed, an assertion of its presence and agency, even in this small format. There’s a tension between the human desire to represent and perhaps control nature, and the cat’s own independent existence. Historically, cats have been associated with femininity and the domestic sphere, but also with independence and even witchcraft. The question this artwork poses for me is whether the artist sought to capture the essence of the animal, or to project human ideas and cultural associations onto it. Consider how the animal looks back at us, seemingly aware of its own representation. In a way, this simple image encapsulates our complex relationship with the natural world.