Sleeping cat 

Curator: Just look at the pure serenity captured in this drawing, "Sleeping Cat" by Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt, housed here at the Städel Museum. Editor: A peaceful and understated realism. I notice the softness immediately, and almost feel lulled into a nap myself! The composition is simple but effective. Curator: It’s all there in those delicate pencil strokes, isn’t it? Cats often function as symbolic figures within art and across cultures—bearers of good luck in some places, figures of independence or domestic comfort in others. This cat appears perfectly at ease within its domestic sphere. What associations does it stir for you? Editor: I think this speaks to the changing role of animals in European society. The rise of the bourgeoisie saw pets move increasingly into the domestic sphere, reflected in art. Think about the popular imagery of cats around the hearth—a symbol of comfort and stability in a rapidly changing world. Curator: Absolutely. I think too about cats as figures associated with witchcraft and female independence – those layers are ever present, even in what appears as an uncomplicated, comforting image like this. The detail in the face contrasted with the sketch-like treatment of the body directs my attention there first. Editor: Agreed, but look at the paws tucked under – the very essence of vulnerability! The animal, the individual, presented with remarkable tenderness. Even though it’s just a drawing, it speaks volumes about shifts in social mores and a changing world. Curator: A compelling testament to that very shift, captured through an image as familiar and beloved as a sleeping cat. Editor: I find myself appreciating the quiet strength in that tenderness, all the more so after this discussion.