Kat in het raamkozijn before 1898

This photographic print by P. Benthien presents a domestic scene: a cat perched gracefully in a window frame. This simple image carries a wealth of cultural meaning. The cat itself, a creature often associated with both domesticity and wildness, has a rich symbolic history. In ancient Egypt, cats were revered, embodying grace and mystery. Later, in medieval Europe, they became symbols of darkness. The cat in the window evokes a sense of liminal space, a threshold between the safety of the indoors and the unknown outside. We might recall similar thresholds in art history. Think of the Roman goddess Janus, who represents transitions. Or consider how this motif appears throughout history, from folklore to the modern day. The image of a cat in a window persists, tapping into our collective memory and stirring emotions related to home, curiosity, and the unknown.