If you think cats only took over the internet recently, think again. Long before memes and viral videos, felines were already making their mark on canvases, sculptures, and manuscripts across centuries. From ancient depictions to classical masterpieces and modern interpretations, artists have long been fascinated by their mystery, elegance, and undeniable charm.

The Instagram page ‘Cats in Art‘ celebrates this timeless obsession by curating artworks from different eras, all featuring our favorite four-legged muses. We’ve gathered some standout pieces from the page for you to enjoy, so scroll down and take a journey through history.

#1

“Woman and Cat” by Peter Harskamp

#2

Artwork by Daniel Arthur

#3

Unknown artist, painting from XVII century

#4

“Her Favourite Pet” by Léon Jean Basile Perrault, 1800s, France

#5

“Sleeping Girl” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1880, The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, USA

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Paintings by Alexandre-François Desportes, France

#8

“Three black cats” by Carl Karhler

#9

“Mother Cat with her Kittens” by Henriëtte Ronner-Knip

#10

“The Bachelor’s Party” by Louis Wain, 1939

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“Sita And Sarita, Or Young Girl With A Cat” by Cecilia Beaux

#13

“The Couple” by Inessa Morozova

#14

“Mother” by Sarah Fox-Davies

#15

“Cat at the Window” by Antonio Guzman Capel

#16

“Girl in Red Dress with Cat and Dog”
by Ammi Phillips, 1830, USA

#17

“Children with a Cat,” by Dirck Hals, 1631, The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, USA

#18

“Ankle View with Cat” by Carol Wilson

#19

“Nina with Cats” by Gabriele Munter, 1927

#20

Artwork by Francis-Marie Martinez de Picabia

#21

“Great Cat” by Miroco Machico

#22

“In a Roman Osteria” by Carl Bloch

#23

Tocoro Comugi

#24

La Baronne Émile D’Erlanger, ROMAINE BROOKS, 1924

#25

“Cat king,” Germany, 15th century

#26

“Armed and Dangerous,” England, 15th century

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“Cats” by Frank Mark, 1909

#29

Artwork by Franz Mark, 1910

#30

Artwork by August Macke, 1910

#31

“In the yard” by Olga Kvasha, Ukraine

#32

“Straight on Till Morning” by Maggie Vandewalle

#33

Artwork by Maya Perez

#34

“The Cat Card Players” by Paul Cézanne

#35

“Charming Cat” by Léon Charles Huber

#36

“Difficult choice” by Ricky Way

#37

“Night cat” by Dillon Samuelson

#38

“Black Cat and Tomato” by Takahashi Hiroaki, Japan, 1931

#39

“The Sleeping Girl” by Jean Leon Basile Perrault, 1890, France

#40

“Raminou” by Suzanne Valadon, 1920

#41

“The White Cat” by Pierre Bonnard, 1984, Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

#42

“Jilt” by Owen Smith, 2012

#43

“Cat Marysia” by Iren Krasiuk

#44

#45

Painting by Vanessa Stockard

#46

#47

Artwork by Peter Klucik

#48

Portrait of Pierre Loti, HENRI ROUSSEAU, 1891

#49

“Reading Kitten” by Debra Hall

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Painting by Lee Kaplan

#54

Artwork by Franco Gentilini

#55

“Cat in a Summer Meadow by Bruno Liljefors, 1920

#56

“The Great Cat” by Franco Matticchio, Italy, 1957

#57

“Cat in Front of the Fire” by Stephen Darbishire

#58

“Cats’ Christmas Party” by Louis Wain, 1910

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#61

Artwork by Shou Xin

#62

“Still Life With Green Soup” by Fernando Botero, 1972

#63

“Cat and Fish” by Volodymyr Kornev, Ukraine

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#65

“Spring is following the cat” by Volodymyr Kornev, Ukraine

#66

Artwork by Michael Sowa

#67

Artwork by Ricky Way

#68

Artwork by Vicky Mount

#69

“Cat’s World” by Regina Shadhan

#70

Artwork by Vicky Mount

#71

Artwork by Stephanie Lambourne

#72

Artwork by Nanaki Jun, Japan

#73

Artwork by Magrit Selska, Ukraine

#74

“Two in blue”

#75

“Cat” by August Macke, 1912

#76

Artwork by Oleksandr Yanuta, Ukraine

#77

#78

Artwork by Alison Friend

#79

“Room with a View” by Stephanie Lambourne

#80

“The Tabby Toboggan Club” by Louis William Wain, 1898

80 Cat-Themed Artworks Throughout History, As Shared By This Community

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