Fotoreproductie van een gravure naar het schilderij The kittens door Franz Meyerheim c. 1866 - 1871

Editor: Here we have a reproduction of "The Kittens," a painting by Franz Meyerheim, rendered as a photograph of an engraving. This seems to be part of an old photo album or scrapbook, judging from the aged paper. The image shows a girl cradling a cat. It strikes me as quite sentimental. What's your take on this, and what stands out to you? Curator: Sentimental, yes, a feeling thick as honey permeates it. I imagine the original painting played right into the Victorian fondness for domestic bliss. The dark, almost claustrophobic backdrop throws the girl and her furry companion into sharp relief, doesn’t it? It’s a bit like holding a warm ember in a shadowy room, the composition. Tell me, what feeling do you get from that stark contrast? Editor: I think it emphasizes the innocence and purity they represent in an otherwise grimy world. Also, it feels posed. Curator: Ah, posed. Absolutely! You've hit upon something vital. These curated displays of affection were all the rage. Meyerheim isn't just showing us a girl and a cat; he's presenting a social ideal. Did it occur to you how it echoes Renaissance depictions of Madonna and child, substituting the feline for a baby Jesus? A cheeky, bourgeois version. Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't made that connection. So, it’s about constructing an image of perfect domesticity? Curator: Precisely! One to aspire to, perhaps to acquire. Looking at it again, it occurs to me that they all look like their hair has just been styled at the hairdresser; it’s so perfect that is almost annoying. It reminds us not everything we see if reality! It’s like an idealized Instagram post for its time! Editor: Wow, this reproduction gave me a much better understanding and appreciation of it thanks to you! Curator: And your sharp eye caught the performative aspect immediately! A great insight; I hadn't looked at it that way before.