1630
oil
panel
From the collection of Walters Art Museum
Girl Teasing a Cat is a 1630 oil by Jan van Bijlert, a Dutch Golden Age work, held at Walters Art Museum.
This painting shows a young girl with dark, curly hair, wearing a white dress and a red skirt. She is sitting with her back to the viewer, looking over her shoulder. The girl is holding a cat in her left hand, and her right hand is reaching out to touch the cat's head. The cat appears to be growling or hissing, showing its teeth. The girl's dress is draped over her left shoulder, revealing her bare back. Her hair is tied up in a loose bun, with a few strands falling down her neck. The background of the painting is dark, which makes the girl and the cat stand out. The use of chiaroscuro in this painting creates a sense of depth and contrast, drawing the viewer's attention to the girl and the cat. To learn more about this technique, explore the world of chiaroscuro.
Jan Hermansz van Bijlert (1597 or 1598 – November 1671) was a Dutch Golden Age painter from Utrecht, one of the Utrecht Caravaggisti whose style was influenced by Caravaggio.
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