De kat 1894 - 1959

This print by Gordinne shows a domestic cat by the fireplace, a seemingly simple scene filled with cultural echoes. The cat, ever present in human life, carries a rich symbolic weight. Since ancient Egypt, cats have been revered, embodying grace, independence, and mystery. Bastet, the feline goddess, protected homes and fertility. Yet, the cat's image has also been linked to the occult, symbolizing both good fortune and the shadow self. Here, the hearth cat sits beside a cooking cauldron and a broom, its role as a familiar echoing through the ages. Consider how frequently the cat appears as a witch's companion in folklore. These shifting meanings of the cat reflect our complex relationship with the animal world, a dance between admiration and fear, domesticated comfort and wild, untamed instincts. This image evokes a subconscious connection to those primal spaces within our own psyches.