Week 32 - 2019
Dora Philippine Kallmus (1881-1962), Woman with cat, 1923-19, belongs to the Preus Museums collection.
A cat for his hat
«When I am playing with my cat, how do I know that she is not playing with me?». The french statesman Michel de Montaigne is not the only one in history who has pondered the character of cats. A cats gaze is hard to penetrate, as if it’s concealing something. Dog and cat lovers discuss to no end which of the animals is most intelligent, sweet, smart or good, all the while the cat knows the answer! The 8th of August is the National Cat Day in Norway, but cats are celebrated on multiple different days throughout the USA, Russia and large parts of Europe; the cat is important to many.
In this picture we see a soft, long haired cat lifted up in the air by a lady who’s thoroughly delighted. The cat, in comparison, looks less interested in the lady with its gaze fastened on something outside of the picture frame. Perhaps the photographer is holding up a toy, or a snack to tame the wild creature. The photo was taken by the austrian photographer Dora Philippine Kallmus, also known as Madame d’Ora. She was the first female photographer to open a photo studio in Vienna in 1907. She was quite popular amongst the elite, taking photographic portraits of celebrities such as Gustav Klimt and Picasso. Everyone wanted a beautiful portrait taken by Madame d’Ora! Additionally, she became quite known for her fashion photographs. It is uncertain who is portrayed in this photo, but the cat is in a central position. Cats are independent and we humans are here to satisfy their every need. It is said that the relationship between humans and cats goes as far back as 10.000 year, and that it was the cat that choose to live alongside us. It's good that they are so sweet and soft, and that we humans experience such strong connections with them. Meow, happy kittyday!