THE CAT IN ART 109 



Munich an Annunciation by Hendrick met de Bles, 

 in which the Blessed Virgin's cat, a large handsome 

 white animal, sits sleeping serenely by her side. 



When we turn to Italy, however, we are charmed 

 to see how naturally and sweetly the cat slips into 

 sacred art. We expect to find her in the Garden 

 of Eden, though Domenichino, aware perhaps of 

 the legend which denies her this privilege, has 

 carefully excluded her from the group of animals 

 pressing uncomfortably close to his beautiful and 

 seductive Eve. Jacopo Bassano, on the contrary, 

 either did not know the story, or refused to give it 

 heed. The Ark with its crowded freight was, as 

 might be supposed, the great resource of such a 

 painter, forced by the current of his time into a re- 

 ligious groove. Bassano profited by the Deluge all 

 his life. He painted the beasts entering their asy- 

 lum ; he painted them departing ; he painted them 

 scattered upon Mount Ararat, making up their 

 minds where they would go next ; and always he 

 painted a cat, filling the most conspicuous place, 

 supercilious, combative, and alert. Among the 

 beautiful frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, on the walls 

 of the Campo Santo at Pisa, is one which repre- 

 sents the animals leaving the Ark ; and here, too, 

 we see a large cat facing all its companions with 

 the resolute and somewhat condescending air of an 

 assured favourite. 



