Cat 1951

Editor: This striking piece, titled "Cat," was created by Corneille in 1951 using paint on paper. It's incredibly raw and immediate, the vibrant yellow background juxtaposed with the almost menacing energy of the creature. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Immediately, the crude but energetic strokes recall prehistoric cave paintings. What do you see in it that might signal the persistence of a symbolic cat figure, a totemic animal, in the postwar era? Is it really a cat, or something more primal? Editor: That's a fascinating perspective! The rough lines do have a cave painting feel. Perhaps the "cat" transcends the domestic animal, becoming something more akin to a primal instinct or a representation of the wild, untamed self. I’m noticing how the tail almost looks like a flame; that makes it seem more forceful. Curator: Precisely! Think about how animals were, and are, deeply linked to magic, intuition, and even prophecy. Notice how the eyes seem almost accusing? Are we, the viewers, being accused by this representation? Of complicity in something lost, or forgotten? What do those streaks of red suggest to you, within that framework? Editor: The red streaks feel violent, maybe hints of blood – suggesting sacrifice or maybe even trauma? If it represents some kind of lost wildness, perhaps it is warning against the cost of losing touch with primal aspects of our nature. Curator: Indeed. Corneille gives us not simply an animal, but a cultural memory of the symbolic animal: a reservoir of ancient meaning struggling to persist. We’ve lost much and gained what, in return? Editor: Thinking about it that way, the painting becomes more than just a stylized cat. It’s a potent symbol, reminding us of our relationship with the natural world. I am glad I noticed this. Curator: Agreed. A truly memorable symbolic image, ripe with significance.