the favorite kitten

thanks the-athenaeum.org, public domain

Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849 - 1921) was a well known artist and teacher in his day.  His landscapes and idealized portraits are in major American art collections; later in life he did groundbreaking work in camouflage based on his naturalist studies.  Here's one of his animal pieces: The Favorite Kitten, an undated oil on canvas.  I love the warm quality of the light and the way it picks out everything we need to know.  There is one yearning cat curling round the front, a second cat in back gazing up intently (how do you ignore that look?), and then the chosen kitty, snuggled right up under the child's face.  Looking at this painting makes me want to grab all my cats and tell them they're all my favorite.