Artwork
Cat and Dead Pigeons
Cat and Dead Pigeons is an oil painting by Alfred Morgan. It dates from 1886 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1886, this oil painting presents a domestic tableau in which a multicolored cat sits within a wicker basket surrounded by several dead pigeons. The animal gazes directly outward, while the surrounding space is defined by a pale wall bearing faint, indecipherable script. The composition conveys a still, contemplative mood.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure—a white cat marked with orange and black—occupies the basket as the lifeless birds lie scattered about it. The juxtaposition of the alert feline with the inert pigeons invites reflection on predator‑prey relationships and the quiet moments that follow a hunt, suggesting a subtle meditation on mortality.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the work displays a meticulous attention to texture, from the woven basket to the feathered bodies of the pigeons. The painter employs a restrained palette of muted earth tones and soft lighting, achieving a realistic rendering that aligns with the detailed animal studies typical of late‑Victorian British art.
History & Provenance
The painting is attributed to Alfred Morgan, a British artist trained at the South Kensington School of Art who exhibited at the Royal Academy. It entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection, where it resides alongside other Morgan pieces, reflecting the museum’s interest in his genre scenes and animal studies.
Context
Morgan’s oeuvre often focused on everyday domestic subjects rendered with precise observation. This piece fits within the broader 19th‑century British tradition of genre painting that emphasized the quiet dignity of ordinary life, while also echoing contemporary interests in natural history and animal anatomy.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alfred Morgan (1836 - 1924) was a British painter. His three children also became artists. Several of Morgan's artworks are at the Victoria and Albert Museum including framed paintings as well as murals decorating the…
