The Cats History of Western Art

by Susan Herbert

Book Overview

A delightful and witty "cat-alog" of feline masterpieces that spoofs 4,000 years of art history. Instantly recognizable to casual museum-goers and anyone who has ever perused Janson's History of Art, the "works" are captioned with deadpan annotations by a real-life art historian. 32 color illustrations.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0821220853
• ISBN13: 9780821220856
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Little Brown and Company
• Length: 62 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.8" x 9.4"
• Age Range: 13 years and up

Customer Reviews

A Treasure For Cat and Art Lovers

I love this book. When I was in England, I came across a pillow featuring a cat dressed as King Henry VIII. I couldn't fit in my luggage and I didn't want to deal with having it shipped, so I passed it up, to my later regret. Back home, I searched everywhere online for an image of that cat and I finally found it here. Susan Herbert has taken many of the most famous paintings in the history of Western art and replaced the figures with cats. The results are wonderful for cat lovers and a true joy for lovers of both cats and art. I particularly enjoy comparing Herbert's paintings with the originals. Her ability to capture the human figure's expression on the face of a cat is uncanny. The masterpieces include Mona Lisa, a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, Van Gogh's Self-Portrait after he cut off his ear, and so many more. Susan Herbert is a fantastic artist who also has a deep understanding of our feline friends. I would certainly love this book even if I wasn't familiar with the art it is based on, and would highly recommend if for anyone who appreciates cats.