Mrs. Craik Holding Cat c. 1858

"Mrs. Craik Holding Cat" is a 1858 portrait by Benjamin Mulock, a Canadian photographer who gained recognition for his early work in the medium. The portrait, housed at The Art Institute of Chicago, depicts two women, one seated, the other standing, with a cat resting on the lap of the seated woman. Mulock's mastery of the early photographic process is evident in the detail of the women's clothing and the soft, natural lighting. The intimate composition and the inclusion of the cat highlight the domestic scene, a common subject for early photography.