The Cat: A Sensuous Symbol

 Artists have used cats as a symbol in artwork for years and Balthus is no stranger to this idea when he chooses to place cats in his paintings. Balthus’s use of cats as a symbol is not a common symbol of his time but is nonetheless significant in paintings preceding Balthus. Artists of his time typically place cats in scenes with women or girls but use them for different purposes in their paintings. Cats have been known to represent sexuality and lust, specifically female sexuality. Balthus’s painting Thérèse Dreaming definitely touches on this idea. Other paintings of his time hint at this idea in more subtle ways of even use cats in a completely different way. Balthus’s use of a cat in Thérèse Dreaming is more blatant than many other artists’ use of cats but he still follows a tradition set before his time. While it is important not to read into an artists subject matter too much artists many times use symbols in there paintings that are meant to grab our attention and remind us of something else. This is exactly what Balthus does in Thérèse Dreaming and what many painters of his time do as well. It is helpful to look at how other artists use cats as a symbol in their paintings when interpreting the cat as a symbol in Thérèse Dreaming. 

Thérèse Dreaming, Balthus (Balthasar Klossowski) 1938, Oil on canvas, 1999.363.2

Cats are a frequent theme in Balthus’s paintings. In the case of Thérèse Dreaming the cat is subtle and fits naturally into the painting, other times Balthus paints a cat as the subject matter and even in one case paints a cat’s head onto a human body. Balthus’s obsession with cats started at an early age when at the age of 11 he lost his cat Mitsou and did a series of 40 ink drawing to commemorating the lose.  We can assume that Balthus’s later use of cats in his artwork is a symbol of sexuality as he often pairs them with young girls in suggestive poses.

Olympia, Edouard Manet, 1863, Oil on canvas, Musée d'Orsay Museum

This painting caused much unrest when first showed in the salon in 1865.  Manet uses the classic pose of an odalisque to paint a white prostitute instead. Manet chooses to force the viewer to understand this painting as a prostitute by including the black cat among the symbolism; a blatant symbol of prostitution and sensuality. Manet uses the cat in much the same way as Balthus by fitting it into the scenery of the painting naturally but intentionally.

 

Still Life with Cat and Fish, Clara Peeters, after 1680, Oil on Panel, National Museum of Women in the Arts

One must be careful not to over-symbolize the objects in a still life. Nonetheless, this still life contains a cat and oysters, both symbols of lust and sensuality. Clara Peeters is likely making a moral statement with this still life that is common of Dutch still life but unique in comparison to the other paintings in this gallery. Her use of the different objects is also likely an example of her mastery of the use of paint. She shows her versatility as an artist by including fur, scales, and shells in detail. This is not the same reason other artists in this gallery choose to place a cat in their work.

Sleeping Girl with Cat, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1880, Oil on canvas, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute

This painting is one of several paintings Renoir does with cats included in the subject matter. Like most paintings that include a cat this one includes a girl.  Here we see a cat and a girl both in a restful state, fully relaxed and vulnerable. Similarly to Therese Dreaming the girl is in a lounging state and seems unaware of her surroundings. The cat however is in a restful state unlike the cat Balthus paints in Therese Dreaming that is unaware of the girl as it laps up milk on the floor. The girl and the cat in this picture seem to have a much more personal relationship and a much more relaxed existence.

The Bridge, Carl Larsson, 1912, Watercolor, Private collection

This painting explores a more innocent side to using a cat as a symbol. This painting adds a lighthearted facet to the use of a cat as a symbol. The cat and the girl both seem entranced in curiosity towards a distant male figure. The cat offers a comparison to the spying girl and adds to the innocence of this young girl. This painting is cheerful and lighthearted and uses the cat in a much different way than Balthus uses in Therese Dreaming.

Kees van Dongen, Woman with Cat, 1908, Oil on canvas, Milwaukee Art Museum

Unlike Therese Dreaming this painting shows a woman rather than a girl and shows her facing the viewer. The woman is dressed confidently with a flamboyant hat but is clutching onto the cat in a way that suggests she is hiding behind it. The style of this painting is obviously quite different from the way Balthus paints and gives the painting less of a dark undertone. Like Thérèse Dreaming it is still mysterious and compelling to look at this woman and think about her relationship with the cat she is clutching onto.