Cats in Western Art
Written by Teresita Blanco (The Artsy Sister)
I did a video blog about cats in Western art. I start with the Ancient Greeks. They were super blasé about cats.
They became associated with magic after coming in contact with the Ancient Egyptians. When Catholicism took over, they threw under the bus anything having to do with paganism.
This also included cats. The pope Gregory IX created a bull talking bad about cats. He particularly despised black cats.
He claimed that they were an incarnation of the devil. During the Renaissance period, Cat loving nobles began to fight back. They proudly ordered portraits that featured them with their beloved pets.
Within the church, priests began to feature cats in a monastery setting. They also showed that the Virgin Mary and St. Matthew were proud cat owners.
When the baroque period began and the counter reformation, cats where finally tolerated. They were seen as a fun diversion for the small children.
The impressionists also painted cats. During this time, cats were considered a pet that only women owned.
From the 20th century and beyond, cats took over the world. I hope you find this video amusing and this blog amusing. My name is Teresita Blanco, the Artsy Sister. Bye, bye and God bless.
