![]() ![]() The Top 10 Most Famous Medieval Paintings of CatsĬats were first domesticated in the Middle East more than 10,000 years ago and have since been the source of artistic exploration for many aspiring creatives. In the end, these furry creatures always won over the hearts of people and as such, attracted the attention of some of the era’s most interesting artists. Many people domesticated dogs for protection and to safeguard their homes while others domesticated cats for killing mice. The function of pets in Medieval society was more related to serving a purpose rather than affection. The Medieval period was also a time when hierarchy provided safety for the people and information was very much controlled. The Medieval era is also understood as the Dark Age, which was essentially a period where Europe experienced a loss of power. Portrait of a young lady holding a cat (1525) by Francesco Ubertini called Bacchiacca Francesco Ubertini called Bacchiacca, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons This period can be understood as the trial-and-error period in art history where people were beginning to form an understanding of art as well as an appreciation of it outside of the realm of religious purposes. The Middle Ages are often associated with European civilizations that emerged after the collapse of the Roman Empire and lasted until the 15th century. Art is subjective and more often than not, artists are imperfect too. You may have stumbled across the occasional meme page or Facebook post donning the background image of a funny-looking cat or what some may call a “badly drawn” image of a cat. 3.3 Why Are Cats Included in Religious Medieval Paintings?.3.2 Why Did People Paint Cats in the Medieval Period?.3.1 Why Are Renaissance Paintings of Cats So Humorous?.2.8 Adam and Eve (1504) by Albrecht Dürer.2.7 Animals (1486 – 1506) in Book of Hours Codex. ![]() 2.5 Miniature of the Annunciation (1406 – 1407) in Book of Hours Codex.2.4 Reynard and Tilbert the Cat (14th Century) in Le Roman de Renart.2.3 Cat and Dog (1392) in the Collection of Halakhical Works.2.1 Cat from Book of Job (578 – 595 CE) by Gregory the Great.2 The Top 10 Most Famous Medieval Paintings of Cats.There are lots of medieval manuscripts that feature, for example, illuminations (small images) of nuns with cats, and cats frequently appear as doodles in the margins of Books of Hours. Cats in the cloistersĬats are found in abundance as a status symbol in medieval religious spaces. Eulogies such as this suggest a strong emotional attachment to pet cats and show how cats not only cheered up their masters but provided welcome distractions from the hard mental craft of reading and writing. In one poem, a cat is described as a scholar’s light and dearest companion. In 1406, the bright green cloth was bought to make a special cover for her cat.Ĭats were also common companions for scholars, and eulogies about cats were not uncommon in the 16th century. In 1387, she commissioned a collar embroidered with pearls and fastened by a gold buckle for her pet squirrel. ![]() In fact, the 14th-century queen of France, Isabeau of Bavaria, spent excessive amounts of money on accessories for her pets. It was not unusual for high-status men and women in the middle ages to have their portrait completed in the company of a pet, most commonly cats and dogs, to signify their elevated status.īacchiacca (circa 1525), by the Italian painter Antonio d'Ubertino Verdi. ![]() Keeping an animal that was lavished with attention, affection, and high-quality food in return for no functional purpose - other than companionship - signified high status. Pets became part of the personal identity of the nobility. Pet monkeys, for example, were considered exotic and a sign that the owner was wealthy, because they had been imported from distant lands. In the middle ages, men and women were often identified by the animals they kept. But despite their association with the supernatural, medieval manuscripts showcase surprisingly playful images of our furry friends.įrom these (often very funny) portrayals, we can learn a lot about medieval attitudes towards cats - not least that they were a central fixture of daily medieval life. Their presumed links with paganism and witchcraft meant they were often treated with suspicion. Cats had a bad reputation in the middle ages. ![]()
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