The Cat

American 19th Century

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of a large cat's head amidst birds in a forest setting. The cat's head emerges from tall grass, and the rest of its body is not visible. Its fur is a mix of brown and black with a cream area around its nose and cheeks, and it has long white whiskers. Its ears are pricked up, and its yellow eyes are looking upwards. In the cat's mouth is a bird with blue and green feathers, a black head, and a long black beak. To the left and right of the cat are two thin trees with birds in them; on the left is a bright red bird, and on the right is a bird with teal, green, and black feathers. The trees depicted have sparse branches with a few green leaves at the top. The sky behind the cat and trees is light blue.