catistory

@catistory

A whiskered walk through history. (Art) historians based in Amsterdam, sharing stories of cats in history, art, and literature from around the world.

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catistory@catistory· 7d

One of our favourite writers, Colette, pictured in 1937, utterly devoted to her cats

Colette sits on a couch, holding two similar looking, beautiful cats

catistory@catistory· 11d

1920-1930. Collection Hillebrands Archive of Drenthe, The Netherlands Two sisters sit behind their family home. The cat—paws almost seeming to light up—sits comfortably between them on a stool (or throne) covered with a Persian rug.

At the back on old house two sisters sit on chairs, one with a cup of tea in her hand. They are clearly dressed in 1920 cloths. They look very alike, their faces but there are also parallels in their clothing and posture (they both wear a skirt, light cloths and both have their legs crossed). The stool the cat sits on is placed slightly in front of them and in between them. Four white paws of the tabby are visible and more white on stomach and neck. The three of them all face the camera, the women seem to suppress a smile

catistory@catistory· 18d

1910-1930. Archive Drenthe, collection Ter Haar, The Netherlands A happy cat in what seems to be an uncomfortable pose. The woman holding the cat has more reason to be happy (with such a cat!), but, oddly, seems not.

A woman looks at the cat she holds, her right arm is under the cat, her left hand she holds around the cat’s neck. She looks stern and not pleased. The cat lies, belly up, in her arms and looks at the camera. He or she seems very content. Behind them there is a curtain.

catistory@catistory· 21d

Henri Matisse with cats, photographed by Robert Capa, 1949.

Henri Matisse sits upright in bed, writing at a table covered with books and papers. A black cat stands on the bed in the foreground, while a smaller cat rests near his legs. Shelves with books and a cabinet are visible in the background.

catistory@catistory· 25d

Photo by Philip D. Gendreau, before 1979 We support Smithsonian! ‘LOUNGING CAT’

A black-and-white picture, which consists of a close-up of a beautiful grey and white cat, looking at something or someone, while lounging

catistory@catistory· 28d

Jean Cocteau in the early 1950s, holding Madeleine, the Siamese cat that often appeared in his portraits. “I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.” — Jean Cocteau

A black‑and‑white photograph of Jean Cocteau indoors, gently holding a Siamese cat named Madeleine. He wears a light shirt and vest, and soft window light falls behind them.

catistory@catistory· Jul 11

1995, by photo journalist Ger Loefen (Regional archive of Nijmegen, the Netherlands) SHIP’S CAT

A young cat, with tiger stripes and white paws and neck, stands proudly - tail up - on deck of a ship

catistory@catistory· Jul 4

Dordrecht, The Netherlands (Collection Regionaal Archief Dordrecht) 1937 Cat on a windowsill. Someone (perhaps the photographer) seemingly admiring the cat (who is indeed very worthy of admiration), is reflected in the window.

A cat lies on a wide windowsill. Next to it is a vase with flowers. Inside, behind the window, are a white vase and a few other objects. A person is reflected in the window. The photo is in black and white and framed in a round cartouche.

catistory@catistory· Jul 1

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard photographed in the late 1930s, each holding a Siamese cat

Gable and Lombard sit on a couch. Gable looks at the Siamese kitten he is holding up, while Lombard looks at Gable. She, too, is holding up a Siamese kitten.

catistory@catistory· Jun 28

“Cat is coming home”, this photo is called. Taken 1955-1964 (Collection E. Beket, Regionaal archief Dordrecht) A remarkable picture blurring the line between photography and painting.

A black cat with white paws comes home. He leans against the door, pushing it open, so it seems. The cat lives at number 23, a neglected house with peeling paint and broken windows. A trash bin stands in front of the house. Black-and-white photo.

catistory@catistory· Jun 25

Frida Kahlo. Self-portrait with thorn necklace and hummingbird, oil on canvas, 1940. Sadly, the cat didn’t make it into the title and she stands as a symbol of misfortune.

Painting in typical Kahlo-style. It’s a self-portrait, which is evident because of the one-brow, the black cat sits behind Kahlo’s left shoulder and has a high back

catistory@catistory· Jun 20

Photo by Klaas van Buiten, Drents archief, the Netherlands 1945-1955

Children and a few adults have gathered outside and are looking into a box on a table. Perhaps there is an animal inside? In front a young girl holds a black-and-white cat on her arm, she too wants to see what is in the box. There is also a child with a dog, the description reads.

catistory@catistory· Jun 17

During Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 Antarctic expedition, Mrs. Chippy, a robust tabby, joined the crew aboard the Endurance. Despite her somewhat misleading name, Mrs. Chippy was a male cat, beloved by all.

Tomcat Mrs Chippy (a beautiful tabby) stands on the right shoulder of a crew member with short, dark hair; their cheeks seems to touch each other. The man looks (proudly?) into the camera, Mrs Chippy very confidently focusses on something just to the right of the camera

catistory@catistory· Jun 14

Zeeuw Archief, photo made in Vlissingen, The Netherlands, undated Cat at the workplace

A workman feeds a cat in what appears to be a factory.

A cat eats in front of a large industrial machine; a ladder lies on the floor in the background.

catistory@catistory· Jun 10

Edwin Hubble and his beloved cat, Nicholas Copernicus, uncharacteristically not sprawled across important papers and books.

Hubble with his black cat in his arms. Next to him scales and an art work or mathematical instrument, or both

catistory@catistory· Jun 7

1955, Den Haag. Haags gemeentearchief, The Netherlands

Two old women are standing and talking to each other in a beautiful, old ‘hofje’ (a secluded courtyard with homes traditionally inhabited only by women). In the foreground on the right, a cat is eating from two bowls that the women have probably placed there.

catistory@catistory· Jun 5

Aldous Huxley, British-American writer(1894-1963) with cat. He is said to have remarked: ‘If you want to write, keep cats’

Huxley sits outside in a garden chair looking at his (big) cat who lies in his arm and on his lap. Huxley appears to be petting the cat, who seems very at ease

catistory@catistory· May 30

c. 1980-1990. Photographed in Japan by Ed van der Elsken Japanese cat is not in the mood

A woman on the street looks at a cat who turns his or her back to the woman, ears flat in annoyance. Another woman has a baby in a carrier and looks the other way

catistory@catistory· May 27

German-born French actress Romy Schneider holds two kittens in the episode ‘Il lavoro’ in Boccaccio ‘70 by Federico Fellini (Photo by Reporters Associati & Archivi/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) 1961

In this black-and-white image Romy Schneider holds two kittens, a white and grey (?) one, one in each hand. They lean against her neck (the white kitten) and rest on her shoulder (the grey kitten). Schneider does not look into the camera.

catistory@catistory· May 23

1984, Nagasaki, photographed by Ed van der Elsken. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Woman is making a telephone call on the street, with a small cat on her arm

catistory@catistory· May 20

Gustav Klimt was deeply fond of cats and kept many of them in his studios in Vienna. Visitors often described his workspace as full of cats wandering freely among his drawings and materials. Despite his affection for them, cats do not appear in his art. His love for them was personal.

Gustav Klimt holds a black-and-white cat in his arms. Both look into the camera, both look happy.

catistory@catistory· May 16

Oss, The Netherlands, Archive Brabant CAT BARBARA with Jo in a field, 1958

A woman wearing glasses and a 1950s coat holds a black-and-white cat, with in the background a field. The cat looks at the camera, the woman looks at her cat.

catistory@catistory· May 9

PORTRAIT OF A BOY AND HIS CAT 1906-1910, Archive Drenthe, The Netherlands. The cat is called ‘Broer’ (brother), the boy is Anne Clasinus Leonard Marie Kymmell (1896-1972).

A boy in suit sits on a chair, he holds a cat in his right arm that sits on a table. Both look into the camera.

catistory@catistory· May 2

Before 1918, The Netherlands. RKD Spending a lot of time together: have they actually started to look alike?

A woman sits in a chair, outside, with a cat on her lap. Both look into the camera.

catistory@catistory· Apr 25

Early 20th-century, National archives, The Netherlands

A boy with a cart holds a fish above a hungry cat, which sits upright on its hind legs. The scene takes place on a nearly empty street, with only a single car visible. The image is in black and white.

catistory@catistory· Apr 18

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1988 NEIGHBOURHOOD CAT

A black cat sits on a garden wall looking out over the neighbourhood and the photographer. The picture is in black and white.

catistory@catistory· Apr 12

1960, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Photo by Cock Tholens If a cat doesn’t want to be lifted, a cat doesn’t want to be lifted.

A black‑and‑white photo of a seated woman next to a window, holding up a cat that is trying to get down. The woman faces the camera and laughs uncomfortably.

catistory@catistory· Apr 5

HAPPY EASTER! Cat Bella and bunny Poppy, in 2017 in The Dodo daily

A cat and a rabbit are lying close together and seem very content.

catistory@catistory· Mar 28

CAT “BOSS” AND HER CHILD, who lived in an Amsterdam hospital. Photo found in an album of hospital staff, late 19th, early 20th century.

A black-and-white picture of two cats - one big, one small - on a table. Behind the shadow of a big window. City archives Amsterdam

catistory@catistory· Mar 22

A cat stuck in a tree (in 1980) waits patiently for the firefighters and casually walks down the rescue ladder. Another (in 2024) protested loudly the entire time, climbing higher and higher whenever her rescuers got close. Clinging to a wobbly top branch, she was finally caught and rescued.