In 1835, a tortoiseshell cat over three feet long was enough to place a small advertisement in a British newspaper that it could be viewed as ‘the greatest curiosity that ever was shown to the public’ at the Ship Tavern in London. A pint of beer was the informal compensation for seeing this special animal.
It was during the 18th and 19th centuries that cats in Europe became increasingly recognized as worthy pets, in addition to their role as mousers. Breweries and distilleries often ‘use’ a few cats to keep rodents out of the grain. From supernatural kaibyō From Japanese folklore to the divine status of felines in ancient Egypt, the animals have long had an indelible influence on mythology, history and our daily lives.
The book, from Phaidon Cat celebrates, well, exactly what you’d expect. From contemporary sculpture and illustration to early photography and internet memes, the book covers a range of feline personalities and depictions in art across the millennia. But no matter how diverse the images are and how long ago they were created, the expressiveness – and even the ridiculousness – of the creatures is universally recognizable.
Cat covers a huge range of media and eras, from medieval illuminated manuscripts to modern street art. General readers may be familiar with artists such as Xuan Loc Xuan, Lee Sangsoo, and Utagawa Hiroshige, among many others, whose multimedia explorations of feline nature fill the playful tome.
Expected release on February 11th Cat is available for pre-order in the Colossal store.
