A Purr-fect Kind of Art

Animals have been the subject of many different types of art throughout the years. And perhaps only other than dogs, the most represented domesticated animal in the art world would be that of the purring, feline variety. From the ancient cave paintings in Lascaux, France, to Egyptian pottery and sculpture, to the paintbrushes of the Impressionists, cats have been a very popular subject in art. Thousands of years ago, artists were using cats in their art, especially in Ancient Egyptian times, where cats were thought to be sacred. The cat statuette pictured below, is from the Ptolemaic Period, which was around 332–30 B.C.E, making it the grand old age of over 2,000 years old!

Another oldie but goodie, is a recently discovered "geoglyph" in Peru. A geoglyph is a large-scale image made on the ground by arranging lines of stones, or carving and etching into the earth. They often can only been seen from the air. This particular one is believed to date back to 200 B.C.E.–100 B.C.E. Check out the amazing image below.

Of course, most artwork created about cats is not always on such a grand scale. Below are 10 more famous artworks that have a furry feline friend as part of the subject matter. Some are from many years ago, while some have a more recent history. Some are paintings, some are prints, and some are made with clay. Some were even pets of the artists themselves or close family members. At the very beginning of this post, I also included one of my own artworks of a feline family member--a painting of my daughter's new kitten when she was 5 months old. Her name is June, or "June-Bug," as we affectionately call her. Enjoy looking at all the following purr-fect kinds of art!