Studio: international art (10.1897)

Mrs. Chances Studies of Cats

cat suffer grievous wrong, and, in fact, it becomes ing that underlying the apparent softness there
a different and a fabulous animal. exists strength and energy; a type of the unexpected

In this way of representing animals no account changefulness to be found in cat nature. For a
of the real nature of the creature need be taken, cat will lie apparently an invertebrate mass of fur
For do not the patrons of this kind of art demand basking on a hearthrug. Suddenly at a sound the

whole creature is transformed into a savage
beast of prey, every nerve and muscle on the
alert, as seen in the brilliant drawing of the cat
with paws and tail extended ready for the pounce.
In such a change as this it is curious to remark
that all the movements accompanying it are
graceful. Sudden changes in dogs are usually
brought about by movements as ungainly as
those of Dr. Johnson, but a cat has an inalien-
#fc> „ able quality of beauty. Even when a mistaken

sense of dignity leads a cat to the verge of being
ridiculous, it somehow always manages to escape
being contemptible by its decorative instinct.
I remember once trying to photograph a splendid
Persian cat on a cold December afternoon.
Sometimes I was foiled by an apparent acqui-
escence, a sudden bound being taken at the
study of a cat by mrs. w. chancb critical moment. Sometimes after sitting in a

beautiful attitude till all was ready, it would
collapse into an amorphous mass of fur of im-
at all costs sentiment'? And by this they mean possible limpness. When the desired number of
human sentiment. So the animal masquerades in a plates had been exposed—and spoilt—Christo-
set of feelings it never knew. Thus unfortunately pher was released, and he then proceeded to show
the drawing of animals often wanders from the right his displeasure at so tiresome a proceeding. His
way ; and by the right way I mean that the aim way of doing this was one that would have occurred
ought to be to represent the essential character and only to a cat. Instead of taking his afternoon tea
beauty of the creatures, and not to construct a with the family (carefully waited on, by a warm
fictitious dramatis persona; of talking beasts. Con- fire) in the drawing-room, as was his wont, he chose
sideling this, it is with true delight that one looks to sit for the rest of that chill afternoon on the
at such work as that
of Mrs. Chance.
These reproductions
of her admirable
pencil drawings show
us that she has the
true style of repre-
senting animals, the
large cat sitting up-
right with its tail
brought round its
paws with a majestic
sweep, is a perfect
embodiment of the
statuesque qualities
which a cat at times
seems so proudly
conscious of. The
firm lines of the fore

legs give us the feel- study of a cat by mrs. w. chance

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