Caticons

Émile Gallé (1846­–1904) combined natural motifs with modern techniques and was one of Art Nouveau’s most significant figures. World renowned for his exquisite art glass, Gallé’s firm also produced ceramic and wooden items, often with the cat as his subject. Life-sized ceramic sculptures are his most famous feline creations and are simply referred to as Gallé cats. Made from faience, a tin-glazed earthenware, they feature colorful, whimsical designs and glass eyes colored by green sulfur. Gallé cats are prized for their magnetic smiles, and some include a locket framing a humorous picture of a dog.

An ancient Chinese creation myth tells of a time when the world was new and the gods appointed cats to oversee life. As the story goes, the cats did not take to the seriousness of their task and preferred to doze in sunbeams and play with falling cherry blossoms. The management of earthly duties was transferred to humans, and cats have since indulged themselves in the more relaxing aspects of life. Many other myths surround the cat in Chinese culture. Some insist that cats can see spirits in the dark, which may explain the prevalence of cat-shaped night-lights during the latter part of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

As cats gained popularity as pets in Europe during the 1600s, they appeared more frequently in art and on decorative items. Cat motifs are among the many designs applied to delftware and faience pottery. During the 17^th century, Dutch artisans from the town of Delft introduced earthenware that imitated the more expensive porcelain imported from China. Known as delftware, these tin-glazed ceramics featured opaque, tin-oxide enamels and lavish decoration.

Throughout the 18^th and 19^th centuries, a household’s inventory of silver items indicated its wealth and status. Silversmiths experimented with imaginative designs and ignited a Victorian passion for collecting a wide variety of ostentatious silver-plated tableware. Knife rests, cruet holders, napkin rings, tea sets, soup tureens, and egg holders are a sampling of the exhaustive list of silver-plated tableware manufactured during the period. Animal forms and motifs adorned many of these items, and the cat was well represented.

During the 19^th century, pet-keeping became an important part of European culture and style. Cats became the preferred pets of many artists, writers, and fashionable women and were regarded for their cleanliness and independent personalities. The popularity of felines in Europe surged with the world’s first cat show, held at the Crystal Palace in London in 1871. By the end of the century, items that featured cats were in high demand, and a wide variety of decorative arts with feline subjects was created.

Limited edition, bronze animal sculptures were a specialty of many Art Nouveau artists. Rembrandt Bugatti (1884–1916), the son of furniture designer Carlo Bugatti (1856–1940) and younger brother to automobile maker Ettore Bugatti (1881–1947), was one of the most celebrated animal sculptors of the early 20^th century. Self-trained in the arts, Bugatti made his first sculpture at age sixteen and exhibited in numerous European galleries including the prestigious Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

By the 17^th century, many Japanese people kept cats as pets, and felines frequently appeared on decorated ceramics. Traditional ceramic manufacturing towns in Japan include Kutani, located in Ishikawa Prefecture. The Kutani kilns were established in the late 1600s, and then closed for more than a century before production was revived in the 1820s. Kutani ware remained obscure in the West until pieces were shown at the Paris Exhibition of 1867, where the porcelain was admired for its beauty and durability. In addition to dinnerware, Kutani artisans crafted sculpture for the export market, where the cat was a favorite subject.

The origins of turquoise-glazed Chinese ceramics date to the 8^th century, when potteries in China expanded during a period of industrialization under the Tang Dynasty (618–907). By the 14^th century, refined Chinese turquoise glazes appeared on decorative ceramics in greater numbers. The vibrant hues of these distinctive glazes are the products of chemical reactions between alkaline bases and copper oxide additives that occur during kiln-firing. Turquoise temple cats are regarded as symbols of good luck in many Chinese traditions. Offered in a variety of poses, temple cats were typically created in matching pairs. This selection of ceramic cats in traditional turquoise glazes was likely made for the export market.

Introduced to Europe from Japan in the 16^th century, fans were an essential fashion accessory in the formal dress of a wealthy woman. They helped to cool a lady’s face and could be used as a subtle tool for flirting with suitors. Painted and lace-embellished fans were common around the turn of the 20^th century, when French painter Adolphe Thomasse (1850­–1930) decorated fans with a menagerie of animal images, including cats, often for the famous fan-maker Duvelleroy of Paris.

Folk art flourished in America from the late 18^th century through the early 20^th century. Deeply rooted in tradition, folk art illustrates regional styles passed down through generations. Folk art was made using a variety of media and techniques and commonly served utilitarian and decorative purposes. Items of toleware were painted with a black varnish that resembled Japanese lacquer and then decorated with colorful oil paints.

Defined by its reverence for nature and emphasis on organic design, Art Nouveau influenced graphic arts, architecture, interior design, and decorative arts. The whiplash, curvilinear lines of Art Nouveau were well suited to the cat, whose sinuous form made it a preferred subject for painters, illustrators, and sculptors. Cats decorated an array of Art Nouveau items, including pottery made by the iconic British firm Royal Doulton, which produced fine earthenware with exemplary surface decoration. Hannah Barlow (1851–1916), a lead artist at Royal Doulton’s Lambeth studio, used reference sketches made in the field for her signature animal designs, which were incised directly into the clay and colored with cobalt for definition. 

Leon Underwood (1890–1975) was a forerunner of the British Modernists. A sculptor, printmaker, and painter, Underwood’s interest in art began as a boy while working in his father’s antiques shop and was followed by formal training at the Royal College of Art. During the First World War, Underwood worked as a camouflage artist designing faux trees used as battlefield observation posts. Underwood was captivated by the traditional art of Mexico and Africa, where he travelled extensively in search of art, antiques, and artistic influence. He also lectured and wrote on the arts, authoring Art For Heaven’s Sake: Notes on the Philosophy of Art To-day (1934) and Cycle of Styles (1964).