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Washington, United States
loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

little claws on a kid glove

wikimedia commons [public domain]



This oil portrait by Johann Zoffany (whom we've seen before) presents us with young Sophia Dumergue holding a cat. The year is around 1780, and she's about 12; she lived from 1768 to 1831. Zoffany's been clever in letting her keep one long kid glove on in case kitty decides to get playful. Perhaps she already had scratches on that arm, who knows? I gather that her father knew Lord Byron, and that she grew up to be a friend of Sir Walter Scott.

6 comments:

Katnip Lounge said...

If I was that kitten. i'd have gone for the bonnet!
For numerous reasons.

Elaine Pritchard said...

You see!!! That's why I bark at cats. I know the damage they are capable of inflicting on poor unsuspecting humans.

Great post again.

Love and licks, Winnie

parlance said...

Portraiture is amazing. It's as if she speaks to us from the past.

Quill and Greyson said...

We love this one.

cate said...

You can imagine her skin being so flawless, mmm my arms always have Poppet scratches! The bonnet is quite fascinating and must have been her Sunday best :)

Ann Dziemianowicz said...

Adorable portrait. Although the girl almost looks like an adult!