Who painted Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat)?

Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat) was painted by Quentin-Pierre Chedel in 1756.

Where can I see Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat)?

Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat)?

Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat) is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat)?

Museum-quality prints of Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat)

Quentin-Pierre Chedel , 1756

Le chat et le rat (The Cat and the Rat) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Quentin-Pierre Chedel. It dates from 1756 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:"J. B. Oudry inv." recto, lower left margin. "Chedel Sculp." recto, lower right margin. "75" recto, upper right margin, graphite, unknown hand.

About this work

Overview

Quentin‑Pierre Chedel’s hand‑coloured etching Le chat et le rat, dated 1756, presents a modestly sized print that juxtaposes a feline and a rodent within a wooded tableau. The composition is rendered in muted earth tones, chiefly browns and greens, creating a calm atmosphere that invites quiet observation of the scene’s gentle interaction.

Subject & Meaning

In the work, a cat reclines in a hammock suspended among the trees while a rat perches on a nearby trunk, both sharing the same arboreal space. A small bird flies above, adding a further element of liveliness. The arrangement suggests a playful coexistence rather than predatory tension, hinting at a whimsical commentary on natural hierarchy.

Technique & Style

Chedel employed traditional copper‑plate etching, subsequently applying hand‑applied pigments to enhance the tonal range. The line work defines the foliage and animal forms with fine, delicate strokes, while the colour washes deepen the foliage’s green and the bark’s brown, giving the print a subtle three‑dimensional quality uncommon in purely monochrome prints of the period.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑eighteenth century, the piece reflects the era’s interest in genre scenes that blend humor with observation of everyday life. While specific ownership records are scarce, the print is catalogued among Chedel’s known works and appears in several nineteenth‑century collections of French prints, confirming its circulation among connoisseurs of the period.