Schetsblad met acht studies van een kat 1892 - 1916

Rik Wouters made this sketch sheet with eight studies of a cat at an unknown date. Wouters was a Belgian painter and sculptor who died young, at only 34 years of age. These drawings capture an aspect of domestic life that was becoming increasingly important at the time. As the middle class expanded, so did the interest in home comforts and private pleasures. The cat, here, is not a symbol of anything grand or allegorical, but is captured in its everyday movements and postures. Made with rapid strokes, the drawings could be studies for a painting or sculpture. The modern art world was creating a market for informal sketches like this one, because they captured the energy of the artist’s vision without being mediated by the demands of public commissions. Art historians consult a range of documents to understand the cultural context of artworks. These might include letters, exhibition reviews, sales records, and biographies. It is through this kind of research that we come to understand art as something shaped by social and institutional forces.