The Cats
1868-1869
Édouard Manet was a devoted cat owner, and this playful sheet of sketches captures his feline friends in their most natural, unposed states. Created around 1869 as an illustration for a book about cats by his friend Champfleury, it shows three distinct poses: a curious cat peering through chair rungs, a sleeping cat with a dangling striped tail, and a round, fluffy cat seen from above. It’s a charming reminder that even the pioneers of modern art took time to doodle their pets, proving that cats have been inspiring artists—and interrupting their work—for centuries.
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