Geen nutter dier voor rot en muis, / Als een mooi katje in uw huis [(...)] 1800 - 1833

Editor: This print, titled "Geen nutter dier voor rot en muis, / Als een mooi katje in uw huis," by Philippus Jacobus Brepols, was made sometime between 1800 and 1833. It's an engraving, and the most striking thing is its almost naive depiction of the cat. How do you read this work? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this piece through a materialist lens. Notice the lines of the engraving, the very deliberate process of reproduction. What was the role of printed images like this one in circulating ideas about domesticity, about the roles of animals in the home, during this period? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't thought about the cat in terms of "domesticity" as a concept being sold or presented to a public. Curator: Exactly! It moves us beyond the image as just a charming pet portrait and connects us to a much broader discussion about labor, value, and the construction of "home." Consider the production process – the labor of the engraver, the printing, and the distribution. Editor: So, it's less about the cat itself and more about the social context of its depiction and distribution. What was it like to produce these? What tools, workshops and networks would be used in order to create the work and expose it to the masses? Curator: Precisely! By examining the materiality and means of production, we see how deeply intertwined art is with economic and social forces. Think about the role of this print: was it a luxury item, a household staple, or something in between? Who was the target audience? Editor: This perspective really opens up the work, making me think about production and consumption, and the artist’s role within a market for images. Curator: Yes! And the cat becomes a vehicle for exploring these larger systems at play. I'll never look at a cat the same way again.