Portret van een onbekend meisje en een poes op tafel 1886 - 1910

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to a captivating gelatin silver print from around 1886-1910: "Portret van een onbekend meisje en een poes op tafel," or "Portrait of an Unknown Girl and a Cat on a Table," housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. The identity of the photographer, unfortunately, remains a mystery. Editor: Oh, she’s darling, though, isn’t she? And the cat, slumped on the patterned tablecloth, is like, utterly unimpressed. Gives it a real air of candidness, despite obviously being a very posed image. It’s like they've both been asked to sit still for way too long! Curator: That supposed "candidness," I would argue, hints at constructed societal expectations placed upon young girls, particularly in the late 19th century. Purity, docility, domesticity-- the composition, with the cat as a symbol of the domestic sphere, underscores these themes. It's an intimate study of intersectional identities – childhood and gender-- within a precise historical moment. Editor: I can see that, but for me, there’s something quite universal about that grumpy cat. Pets do have this way of democratising a space. I bet the little girl’s identity is also tied into who she is. That beautiful ruffled collar, for example – you just know she's dying to run around. Curator: Yes, and the framing is very telling. It's a formal portrait, presented in an arched wooden frame, but this aesthetic itself participates in solidifying notions of domestic virtue as art, as something worthy of display. The photographic medium lends itself well to the proliferation of these visual tropes, further solidifying dominant cultural values. Editor: Absolutely. I also love the texture in the print itself, the slightly faded tones that seem to deepen around the girl’s face. I almost feel like I can feel the weight of time. I feel sad for the girl in this frame; hopefully the grumpy cat felt that and gave her the odd moment of playful respite in the process. Curator: A reminder of the multi-layered narratives embedded within what seems at first glance to be a straightforward photograph. Editor: Absolutely, one grumpy cat or maybe two, that’s a lot of stories hidden away in this.