Who painted The Cat's Concert?

The Cat's Concert was painted by Coryn Boel in 1654.

Where can I see The Cat's Concert?

The Cat's Concert is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Cat's Concert?

The Cat's Concert is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of The Cat's Concert?

Museum-quality prints of The Cat's Concert are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Cat's Concert

Coryn Boel , 1654

The Cat's Concert is an ink print by the Baroque artist Coryn Boel. It dates from 1654 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left plate: D Teniers In et excud. cum privilegio; lower right plate: Cory Boel. f.

About this work

Overview

Coryn Boel’s 1654 print, titled The Cat’s Concert, presents a lively tableau of anthropomorphic cats gathered around a table to make music. The composition is illuminated against a darkened backdrop, drawing the eye to the figures and their assorted instruments, while a monkey on the periphery adds a further musical element.

Subject & Meaning

The work portrays a whimsical gathering in which cats assume the roles of musicians, each handling a lute, recorder, or sheet of music, suggesting a playful commentary on human social rituals. The inclusion of a trumpet‑playing monkey expands the scene’s comedic tone, inviting viewers to consider the boundary between nature and artifice.

Technique & Style

Boel employed a combination of engraving, etching, and dry‑point on laid paper, allowing for fine line work and subtle tonal variations. The dry‑point’s burr creates a soft, velvety texture that enhances the depth of the figures, while the etched lines define the intricate details of the instruments and fur.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑seventeenth century, The Cat’s Concert is attributed to the Flemish printmaker Coryn Boel, a member of a family of artists active in Antwerp. The print circulated among collectors of genre scenes, and surviving impressions are held in several European museum collections.

Context

The image belongs to a broader tradition of animal allegories popular in the Dutch and Flemish baroque period, where animals were depicted in human activities to convey moral or satirical messages. Boel’s choice of a musical setting reflects contemporary interest in the pleasures and excesses of courtly entertainment.