Medieval cat paintings

Internet is filled with adorable cat photos, but there was a time before the modern age when artists really struggled to make cats look cute.

Ever tried to paint a cat? While they excelled at painting religious scenes, portraits of Royalty, and naked ladies, this particular type of pussy offered an altogether different challenge. There are a couple of reasons why these funny cats look as they do in the Medieval art depictions. One of them is that the primary purpose of these paintings was to translate the religious scripts to the illiterate bear in mind that there were relatively few people who could read - monks, priests, and the nobility , and the other, unnecessary details weren't so scrupulously painted. On the other hand, linear perspective , giving a painting depth, was not systemized until the Italian Renaissance.

Medieval cat paintings

Human beings are still working on the technology that will make us live forever. But while we wait for the discovery of the so-called fountain of youth, there is still one surefire way to be immortal: get a creative person to create something in your likeness. They lived on in the works of their creative partners. Whether tragically unrequited or happily ever after, many greats throughout history have created a way through which a person can be remembered forever. Poets and writers immortalized the loves of their lives on the pages of their works, artists painted their loves onto canvases, and musicians penned love songs that we still sing along to, to this day. So yeah, if you want to be remembered, have a creative person fall in love with you. Unfortunately, not all artistic expressions were flattering for those who were painted into a picture. Take the cats of the Medieval era. While we know cats to be cute and painfully adorable fur balls, the depictions of them in Medieval art are anything but flattering. In fact, it makes cats as a whole look like really scary, ugly creatures. Interestingly enough, the cause of this level of influence on artists of the time was actually religion! Cats were also mainly associated with the feminine. Watch the video below where it gives the full explanation for why cats in Medieval paintings were less than adorable:.

Back in the medieval times, not everyone had access to the internet crazy, we know.

Have you ever been told in a history class to take everything with a grain of salt because we look at history through a modern lens? To artists during the medieval era, animals were seen as a reflection of society, and cats were a prime example of deviant behavior. Unlike dogs, these feudal feline friends could not be trained in loyalty—they simply came and went depending on who fed them. So, the rather odd appearance of the cats could be because they wanted their image to depict their poor societal behavior. Much of the animosity toward cats revolved around the dark forces.

Curiosity kills the cat, but cracks up the modern-day artist when it comes to reviewing some funny and interesting representations of cats in art history. Art is subjective and more often than not, artists are imperfect too. The Middle Ages are often associated with European civilizations that emerged after the collapse of the Roman Empire and lasted until the 15th century. 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 Medieval era is also understood as the Dark Age, which was essentially a period where Europe experienced a loss of power. The Medieval period was also a time when hierarchy provided safety for the people and information was very much controlled. The function of pets in Medieval society was more related to serving a purpose rather than affection.

Medieval cat paintings

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The cats were used as symbols for human state of mind, therefore it makes sense to grant them a human face. Cats were also mainly associated with the feminine. They wanted to capture the holiness of each person through their blank stares that symbolized controlled, suppressed emotions and thus adherence to the Christian faith. While we know cats to be cute and painfully adorable fur balls, the depictions of them in Medieval art are anything but flattering. Watch the video below where it gives the full explanation for why cats in Medieval paintings were less than adorable:. Other artists subtly included hidden self-portraits in their work as a way to tell their story, demonstrate their power, and claim Internet is filled with adorable cat photos, but there was a time before the modern age when artists really struggled to make cats look cute. From the similarity some of these cats have to human faces I would say that the artists did use humans as models. Interestingly enough, the cause of this level of influence on artists of the time was actually religion! Artists are a mischievous bunch. How did they combat that? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. This article will celebrate the long history of textile works through three lesser-known With a six-pack and a full head of hair, thus giving way to Homunculus Jesus. The medieval focus on prioritizing morality in visual works gave way to this kind of interpretation, much like why medieval cats are not painted under a lens of realism.

Practical yet feared creatures, cats were great for catching mice, but people also believed they carried evil around with them.

The deterrence toward cats and their mischievous behavior did not stop at art. With a free ArtRKL membership, you will receive the first look at published articles, the newest updates on what we're up to, and NFT drops. Share Share Link. The cats were used as symbols for human state of mind, therefore it makes sense to grant them a human face. Unlike dogs, these feudal feline friends could not be trained in loyalty—they simply came and went depending on who fed them. Instead of the cute kitten features we all know and love, the artists instead appear to favor a grim, almost human-like look that makes these cat paintings look a bit, well, scary. While they excelled at painting religious scenes, portraits of Royalty, and naked ladies, this particular type of pussy offered an altogether different challenge. One of them is that the primary purpose of these paintings was to translate the religious scripts to the illiterate bear in mind that there were relatively few people who could read - monks, priests, and the nobility , and the other, unnecessary details weren't so scrupulously painted. On the other hand, linear perspective , giving a painting depth, was not systemized until the Italian Renaissance. They also wanted to illuminate his strength as a part of his identity that began at birth, which is likely where the paintings of baby Jesus with an unironic six-pack and triceps come from. They lived on in the works of their creative partners. With a six-pack and a full head of hair, thus giving way to Homunculus Jesus. Humans received the same kind of moral reflection as animals in medieval-era art.