Winter- Cat on a Cushion 1909

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made Winter- Cat on a Cushion as a print, and it feels so luxurious, right? You can almost feel Steinlen working the plate, coaxing that red cushion to life! It’s like he's saying, “Hey, kitty, come over here and get cozy!” The cat, all greens and browns, anchors the composition. The way the limbs fall and pool, it’s so believable. Did you ever watch a cat move and settle? It’s a whole thing! I wonder if Steinlen felt a kinship with his feline subject— the artist, lounging, observing the world with those knowing eyes. It's got the vibes of other artists like Manet or Bonnard, all of whom reveled in rendering domestic life with a sense of intimate observation. Ultimately, it’s a conversation between artists across time— a kind of call and response that echoes through the ages. And, you know, the cat probably doesn’t care at all, right?