The Cat

The cat's reputation and place in society have been subject to twists and turns of fate that are all reflected in art. While cats were deified by the ancient Egyptians, they were vilified by the medieval Church, before the Renaissance and Baroque periods saw their gradual rehabilitation. By the eighteenth century cats had become popular household pets worldwide. Generations of artists have treasured their contrariness and beauty, and while the cat does not always occupy centre stage in paintings, it always adds an extra symbolic dimension to a picture, or illuminates its meaning in an unexpected way. This sumptuously illustrated book examines the relationship between cats and humans from ancient times to the present, offering fascinating insights into the prominence of the cat in art in cultures worldwide. Thematic chapters explore in detail a rich and rewarding collection of paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures, creating a book that will have enduring appeal among art lovers and cat lovers alike.

ISBN 1858945305   Pages 288 ISBN13 9781858945309 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 1837 Publisher Merrell Publishers Ltd   Published in London Imprint Merrell Publishers Ltd   Height (mm) 260 Format Hardback   Width (mm) 260 Publication date 01 Sep 2011   Spine width (mm) 33 DEWEY 704.94329752   Academic level General DEWEY edition DC22

'The Cat - gets a huge paw stamp of approval' - THE LADY 'a lavish and delightfully illustrated synopsis of the role of cats in our visual culture... a thorough monument to feline fascination.' - PROSPECT MAGAZINE 'The serious and carefull writing of this book is belied by it's coffee-table format, although the profusion of illustrations will make it the envy of other art historians.' - THE ART NEWSPAPER '... a fantastic chronicle of felines in art over thousands of years that will delight your most loveable cat-enthused pals and those that embrace the arts as well. Done in a high style quality that is typical of this outstanding publisher, The Cat is clearly a winner visually in nearly 300 pages.' - WHOM YOU KNOW

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