Grooming cat 

Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt sketched this cat with graphite on paper; the artwork now resides in the Städel Museum. At first glance, it's merely a domestic scene, but consider the symbolic weight carried by this creature throughout history. Ancient Egyptians revered cats, associating them with protection and divinity. We see felines depicted in countless frescoes, statues, and amulets, embodiments of grace and mystery. Contrast this with the medieval era when cats became symbols of witchcraft and were often vilified. Yet, here, in Hirt's drawing, we find a return to intimacy, an echo of the cat’s more ancient connection to the domestic sphere. The act of grooming, rendered so delicately by Hirt, speaks to a deeper need for order, cleanliness, and self-care. Is it not a primal ritual reflected in our own human behaviors? This image, through its simple rendering, touches on the cyclical nature of symbols, their constant reinvention across time.