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Madonna and Child with a Cat, c1490. Creator: Unknown.

Madonna and Child with a Cat, c1490. This Madonna and Child includes an unexpected visitor - a cat! Rarely depicted in Christian art, cats carry a number of different meanings: since they hunted household pests like vermin and snakes, they were sometimes considered defenders against evil. However, they could also be viewed as sources of evil themselves, on account of their traditional association with witches. Since the cat in this painting appears with the Madonna and Child, it may be a reference to a popular Christian legend claiming that a cat gave birth at the same time that Mary gave birth to Christ. It might also be a heraldic emblem of the family or individual who commissioned the work.

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Title: Madonna and Child with a Cat, c1490. Creator: Unknown.

Caption: Madonna and Child with a Cat, c1490. This Madonna and Child includes an unexpected visitor - a cat! Rarely depicted in Christian art, cats carry a number of different meanings: since they hunted household pests like vermin and snakes, they were sometimes considered defenders against evil. However, they could also be viewed as sources of evil themselves, on account of their traditional association with witches. Since the cat in this painting appears with the Madonna and Child, it may be a reference to a popular Christian legend claiming that a cat gave birth at the same time that Mary gave birth to Christ. It might also be a heraldic emblem of the family or individual who commissioned the work.

Personalities: JESUS (siglo I) • VIRGIN MARY

Technique/material: Oil

Credit: Album / Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Releases: ? Model Release: No - ? Property Release: No
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Image size: 3734 × 4960 px | 53.0 MB

Print size: 31.6 × 42.0 cm | 1470.1 × 1952.8 in (300 dpi)

Keywords: 1490S • 15 15TH XV XVTH FIFTEENTH CENTURY • 15TH CENTURY • 15TH CENTURY; • 15TH • ANIMAL • ANIMAL: CAT • ANIMALS • APPAREL • BIRTH • BLUE • BLUE. • BOWED HEAD • BOY • BOYS • BROWN HAIR • BRUNETTE • CAT • CATS • CENTURY • CHANGING ROOM • CHILD • CHILDBIRTH • CHILDREN • CHRI • CHRIST • CHRISTIANISM • CHRISTIANITY • CITY • CITYSCAPE • CLOAK • CLOTHES • CLOTHING & DRESS • CLOTHING • COLOR • COLOUR • COUNTRY • CRISTIANDAD • CRISTIANISMO • DRESS • DRESSED • EXTERIOR • EYES HALF CLOSED • FAMILY • FASHION & CLOTHING • FELINE • FELINES • FELIS CATUS • FEMALE • FIFTEENTH CENTURY • FLUSH • GARMENT • HABIT • HAIR • HEAD BENT DOWN • HOLDING • ITALIA • ITALIAN • ITALY • JESUS CHRIST • JESUS OF NAZARETH • JESUS • LABOUR • LOCATION • LOOKING DOWN • LOOKING • MADONNA AND CHILD • MADONNA • MALE • MARY • MASTER OF THE PALA SFORZESCA • MASTER OF THE PALA • MATERNITY • MENSWEAR • MOTHER OF GOD • MOTHER • MOTHERHOOD • MUM • MUSEUM • NAKED • NAKEDNESS • NOTRE DAME DU FOLGOET • NUDE • NUDITY • OIL (?) ON WOOD PANEL • OIL ON WOOD • OIL PAINT • OIL PAINTING • OIL PAINTINGC PIO DI SAVOIA • OIL • OLI PAINTING • OUR LADY OF FOLGOET • OUR LADY OF MARIAZELL • OUR LADY OF REFUGE • OUTDOOR • OUTDOORS • OUTSIDE • PAINTING • PARENT • PARENTING • PEOPLE • PORTAIT • PORTRAIT • POTRAIT • RELIGION • RELIGIOUS • RENAISSANCE • ROBE • SAINT MARY • SEATED • SFORZESCA • SIGLO XV • SIT DOWN • SIT • SITS • SITTING • SON • ST MARY • ST. MARY'S • STELLA MARIS • STROKING • SUIT • TAILOR • TWO PEOPLE • VIRGIN AND CHILD • VIRGIN MARY • VIRGIN MARY, THE • VIRGIN MOTHER • VIRGIN • WALTERS ART MUSEUM • WOMAN • WOMEN • XV CENTURY • YOUNG WOMAN • YOUNG WOMEN