Artwork
Bouquet with cat and mousetrap
Bouquet with cat and mousetrap is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Abraham Mignon. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Abraham Mignon, a Dutch painter active in Utrecht during the mid‑17th century, produced the oil painting *Bouquet with cat and mousetrap* around 1650. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and combines a lush floral arrangement with a domestic scene featuring a cat and a mousetrap, a motif frequently employed in still‑life compositions of the period.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a large vase overflowing with tulips, roses, irises and other blossoms in vivid reds, pinks and yellows. Below the vase a cat rests, its paws on a wooden mousetrap that has already caught a mouse. Small details such as butterflies, berries and a dark background complete the tableau, juxtaposing abundance with the reminder of mortality.
Technique & Style
Mignon renders the flowers with precise, layered brushwork, allowing individual petals and stems to interlace and appear almost three‑dimensional. The cat’s fur is modeled with subtle chiaroscuro, while the contrast between the bright bouquet and the deep shadows creates a sense of depth typical of Dutch still‑life painting.
History & Provenance
The painting reflects the influence of earlier Dutch still‑life masters such as Jan Davidszoon de Heem and Jacob Marrel, whose compositional strategies and symbolic motifs are echoed in Mignon’s work. It remains a representative example of his output, which was largely confined to the Utrecht region during his career.
Context
During the mid‑1600s, Dutch artists frequently incorporated everyday objects like cats, traps, and insects into their still‑life scenes to convey moral messages about the fleeting nature of pleasure and the inevitability of death, a theme known as vanitas. *Bouquet with cat and mousetrap* follows this tradition, embedding a quiet narrative within a decorative arrangement.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Abraham Mignon or Minjon (21 June 1640 – 27 March 1679) was a Dutch still life painter.
