Famous Cat Paintings

Cats and kittens, curled up, at play or eyeing the dinner table.

12 paintings, with works by Francisco de Goya, George Caleb Bingham, Paul Gauguin and Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin. Most often they suit the bedroom, kids' room and dining room.

12 paintings

Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga (1784–1792), Francisco de Goya, 1787–88, oil on canvas

Francisco de Goya Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga (1784–1792), 1787–88 The Met

Fur Traders Descending the Missouri, George Caleb Bingham, 1845, oil on canvas

George Caleb Bingham Fur Traders Descending the Missouri, 1845 The Met

Polynesian Woman with Children, Paul Gauguin, 1901, oil on linen canvas

Paul Gauguin Polynesian Woman with Children, 1901 Art Institute of Chicago

The Silver Tureen, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, ca. 1728–30, oil on canvas

Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin The Silver Tureen, ca. 1728–30 The Met

The Chess Players, Thomas Eakins, 1876, oil on wood

Thomas Eakins The Chess Players, 1876 The Met

Shown from about the waist up, a young woman wearing white sits in an armchair cuddling a brown and black striped cat in this vertical painting. The scene is painted with blended brushstrokes, giving it a soft look.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Woman with a Cat, c. 1875 National Gallery of Art

The Dissolute Household, Jan Steen, ca. 1663–64, oil on canvas

Jan Steen The Dissolute Household, ca. 1663–64 The Met

The Proposal, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1872, oil on canvas

William-Adolphe Bouguereau The Proposal, 1872 The Met

This painting shows a young girl sitting in a wooden chair, facing the right. She has pale skin, rosy cheeks, a slightly upturned nose, and long, brown hair put up behind her head. She is wearing a pale green dress and black shoes.

Eastman Johnson The Pets, 1856 National Gallery of Art

A Boy with a Cat—Morning, Thomas Gainsborough, 1787, oil on canvas

Thomas Gainsborough A Boy with a Cat—Morning, 1787 The Met

The image shows a full-body portrait of a young child standing indoors. The child faces forward with a neutral expression, looking directly at the viewer. They have neatly styled brown hair parted in the middle.

Joseph Goodhue Chandler Girl with Kitten, c. 1836/1838 National Gallery of Art

Two Children Teasing a Cat, Annibale Carracci, 1588, oil on canvas

Annibale Carracci Two Children Teasing a Cat, 1588 The Met

Famous Cat Paintings

Rooms these paintings suit

Styles