Zittende kat, naar links 1819

This is Jean Bernard's etching of a cat, now at the Rijksmuseum. Observe how the cat is captured in a moment of quiet introspection. The cat, an animal of duality—domestic yet wild—has journeyed through art history. From ancient Egypt, where it was revered as a sacred symbol of grace and protection, to its shifting roles in medieval folklore, often linked with the enigmatic and the nocturnal. The cat here, though, is a far cry from those mythic associations. Bernard’s cat evokes a sense of domesticity, hinting at the shifting perceptions of the animal. The cat's posture reflects a universal pose of contemplation and poise. Consider how symbols transform and adapt. The cat, once a beacon of divinity, now embodies the shifting landscape of human perception. A reminder of the power of symbols to transcend time.