Liggende kat, schuin van voren 1808

This is Jean Bernard’s, ‘Liggende kat, schuin van voren’, or ‘Reclining cat, oblique from the front’. We don’t know exactly when Bernard made this drawing, only that it happened sometime around 1808. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Europe was undergoing profound social changes. The rise of the middle class and shifts in societal values created new markets for art, and with it, everyday subjects found their way into portraiture. In this tender sketch, Bernard captures the soft, domestic tranquility of a sleeping cat. The cat isn’t an allegory, nor a stand-in for some grand idea, but a cat, sleeping. Notice how the delicate strokes of the pencil and the intimate perspective create a sense of warmth. What does it mean to elevate this ordinary moment to art? Perhaps, it reflects a growing appreciation for the simple, quiet moments in life. It reminds us that beauty can be found in the everyday, and in the embrace of simple companionship.