Studies van een kat 1874 - 1925

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have "Studies van een kat," a drawing using pencil by Jan Veth, created sometime between 1874 and 1925. What's your first impression? Editor: Honestly, it feels like a stolen moment. Like catching your cat asleep when you think no one’s watching. There’s a tenderness, almost a secret between the viewer and this sleepy feline. Curator: Yes, the seeming informality really encapsulates that sentiment. Jan Veth, while known for his portraits, often engaged in these more intimate studies. Sketchbooks were important for him. In many ways, these casual sketches served as testing grounds to study his subjects in new and engaging ways, and perhaps this study shows something like this? Editor: Absolutely! And notice the unfinished quality—it's like the drawing itself is still waking up. It invites me to fill in the blanks, to imagine the texture of the cat's fur or the warmth of the sunbeam it’s napping in. Makes one wish to also relax without a care. Curator: You know, these kinds of domestic scenes started gaining traction in the late 19th century, reflecting shifts in societal values where private life and observations of daily life held increasing artistic merit. This work's very existence speaks to this change. Cats moved out of barnyards and into living rooms, both literally and figuratively! Editor: And aren't we lucky they did? This isn't just a study of a cat; it's a study of comfort, of simple joys. And to think it all began with just a few light strokes of pencil on toned paper, isn't it fascinating how such minimalism can be so expressive? It reminds me of haiku. Curator: Indeed. Veth understood how to make the ordinary resonate. It really tells you a lot about art from that period, in a time when people found new things to cherish. Editor: It's amazing, that feeling hasn't changed. Next time I see my cat napping, I'll think of this drawing, a quiet homage to the art of doing absolutely nothing. Curator: And perhaps that’s its enduring charm—the shared, timeless appreciation for the simple pleasures in life.