Even in Antiquity they were regarded as sacred animals and were immortalised in works of art and literature. In Egypt they were worshipped as symbols of fertility and prosperity and regarded as guardians of the home. They were even taken along as grave goods into the afterlife, and numerous temples were adorned with these whiskered companions.
Cats also appear in Greek mythology - for example, the goddess Artemis had a close connection to cats. According to legend, her chariot was pulled by two majestic cats. These animals symbolised her strength and independence, as well as her connection to nature and wild animals.
From Companions of the Gods to Companions of Witches - The Image of Cats
In European culture, cats played an especially important role during the Middle Ages. There, the image of these animals changed somewhat.
From divine beings, they were relegated to companions of witches and sorcerers and associated with magic and witchcraft.
It wasn't until the Renaissance that the image of cats changed once again, when artists such as Leonardo da Vinci portrayed them as elegant and graceful creatures.
Cats in Art and Literature
Cats have always played an important role in art and literature as well. The French writer Marcel Aymé, for example, wrote the short story "Le Chat qui aimait la pluie" ("The Cat Who Loved the Rain"), in which a cat befriends a man and goes for walks with him in the rain.
The well-known children's book author Dr. Seuss also devoted plenty of attention to cat characters in his books. In his book "The Cat in the Hat" children experience adventures with a talking cat.
In poetry cats are often portrayed as independent and mysterious creatures.
The German poet Rainer Maria Rilke, for example, wrote the poem "Der Panther", in which a panther in a cage is used as a metaphor for loneliness and the feeling of confinement in life.
The cat is a popular motif in painting and has been depicted by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Salvador Dalí - though often in a rather stylised way.
Anyone who knows Picasso's painting of a cat eating a bird knows what is meant by "stylised". 😉
Even in Antiquity they were regarded as sacred animals and were immortalised in works of art and literature. In Egypt they were worshipped as symbols of fertility and prosperity and regarded as guardians of the home. They were even taken along as grave goods into the afterlife, and numerous temples were adorned with these whiskered companions.
Cats also appear in Greek mythology - for example, the goddess Artemis had a close connection to cats. According to legend, her chariot was pulled by two majestic cats. These animals symbolised her strength and independence, as well as her connection to nature and wild animals.
From Companions of the Gods to Companions of Witches - The Image of Cats
In European culture, cats played an especially important role during the Middle Ages. There, the image of these animals changed somewhat.
From divine beings, they were relegated to companions of witches and sorcerers and associated with magic and witchcraft.
It wasn't until the Renaissance that the image of cats changed once again, when artists such as Leonardo da Vinci portrayed them as elegant and graceful creatures.
Cats in Art and Literature
Cats have always played an important role in art and literature as well. The French writer Marcel Aymé, for example, wrote the short story "Le Chat qui aimait la pluie" ("The Cat Who Loved the Rain"), in which a cat befriends a man and goes for walks with him in the rain.
The well-known children's book author Dr. Seuss also devoted plenty of attention to cat characters in his books. In his book "The Cat in the Hat" children experience adventures with a talking cat.
In poetry cats are often portrayed as independent and mysterious creatures.
The German poet Rainer Maria Rilke, for example, wrote the poem "Der Panther", in which a panther in a cage is used as a metaphor for loneliness and the feeling of confinement in life.
The cat is a popular motif in painting and has been depicted by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Salvador Dalí - though often in a rather stylised way.
Anyone who knows Picasso's painting of a cat eating a bird knows what is meant by "stylised". 😉
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