a travelogue cat 1899

thanks british library flickr (PD)

This little black kitty is a bit of a mystery.  He's found on page 22 of "Espana Negra," a travelogue by the Belgian poet Emile Verhaeren which Dario de Regoyos translated into Spanish and published in 1899, "with illustrations by the author."  So that's Emile Verhaeren?  Then why are de Regoyos' initials on this piece?  Verhaeren was one of the founding individuals behind the French Symbolist literary movement, not a visual artist.  So I think I know the answer - translator = author. Does it seem random he'd be translating and illustrating a work by a Belgian?  Not so much when you learn that he studied in Brussels and was active in modern art movements there.
Want to see the actual book?  You can see it here!