Artwork
Cat and children
Cat and children is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Daniel Maclise. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This pen‑and‑ink drawing by Daniel Maclise captures a quiet domestic scene: two children sit together on an armchair while a striped cat sleeps between them. Executed in brown tones, the composition relies on quick, sketchy lines that suggest the softness of the figures and the feline’s relaxed posture.
Subject & Meaning
The children are portrayed in an intimate pose, their heads leaning against one another, one hand near the face and the other clutching a small object, hinting at a shared moment of play or contemplation. The cat, curled and tranquil, adds a sense of domestic comfort and the everyday charm of childhood.
Technique & Style
Maclise employs fine, layered cross‑hatching to define form and texture, allowing depth to emerge from intersecting lines rather than solid shading. This method creates a subtle tonal range within the limited ink medium, emphasizing the softness of fur and fabric while preserving a spontaneous, sketch‑like quality.
Context
The drawing forms part of a larger compilation of 390 sketches and studies that includes works by artists such as Calderon, T.S. Cooper, and Landseer. The collection also features portraits of notable 19th‑century figures—Edward Bulwer‑Lytton, Benjamin Disraeli, and Michael Faraday—illustrating the breadth of artistic interest in both public personalities and everyday scenes.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Daniel Maclise (25 January 1806 – 25 April 1870) was an Irish history painter, literary and portrait painter, and illustrator, who worked for most of his life in London, England.
