Liggende poes 1617 - 1681

Editor: We’re looking at “Liggende poes,” or “Lying Cat,” an etching by Cornelis Saftleven, made sometime between 1617 and 1681. It’s a fairly small, unassuming print, and quite charming. It gives the sense of stumbling upon a very private moment. What captures your attention when you see it? Curator: Well, first off, I’m immediately whisked back to childhood memories of attempting to sketch my own impossibly fluffy cat – the sheer challenge of capturing that feline essence! And Saftleven, with just a few deftly placed lines, nails it. It's more than realism; it feels like a glimpse into the cat's very soul. Editor: That’s beautifully put. I suppose what’s remarkable is how seemingly simple it is. Curator: Precisely! The Dutch Golden Age, even in its humblest sketches, carried this intimate curiosity about the everyday. Think of Vermeer and his milkmaid—it's about elevating the mundane into something profound. But here, the cat isn't grand. She's just...present. Lazy, maybe. Makes you wonder what she’s thinking. Almost makes me want to write a little poem from the cat’s point of view! Editor: A feline sonnet, perhaps? I'd read that! Considering it’s from the Dutch Golden Age, is it odd that he would sketch a cat rather than a still life or portrait? Curator: Not at all! Dutch artists were fascinated by the natural world. Cats were part of the household, offering companionship, pest control and were worthy subjects themselves. Saftleven also focused on farm animals in his pieces. This is more than just a sketch. It's an echo of domestic life in the 17th century. Don't you think it feels timeless in a way? Editor: It really does! I see this cat, and I feel like I know her – or at least, I know cats like her. Thank you, I can never look at cats the same way again. Curator: And I will certainly have to try my hand at a sonnet on the subject! It's been a pleasure.