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The Large Cat

A work made of engraving on ivory paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving on ivory paper.

Date:

1657

Artist:

Cornelis Visscher
Dutch, c. 1629-1658

About this artwork

Cornelis Visscher’s engraving is one of the softest, most tactile renditions of a cat ever printed. The breathless mouse sneaking by the corner grate seems barely present in contrast, so light and ghostly is its fur. In a culture where cats were domestic staples (as dispatchers of vermin) rather than treasured pets, Visscher created a particularly memorable portrait.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Cornelis Visscher

Title

The Large Cat

Place

Holland (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1657

Medium

Engraving on ivory paper

Dimensions

Sheet: 14.3 × 18.5 cm (5 11/16 × 7 5/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Horace S. Oakley

Reference Number

1923.994

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/9372/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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