Artwork
Who Will Get it?
Who Will Get it? is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Marie Yvonne Laur. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
Overview
Laur’s career intersected with broader European artistic movements before her death in Ravensbrück in 1944.
Marie Yvonne Laur, a French painter born in Paris in 1879, created *Who Will Get It?* in 1900 as an oil on canvas. The work is held in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp and represents her engagement with post-impressionist tendencies, particularly in its handling of color and everyday subject matter. Laur’s career intersected with broader European artistic movements before her death in Ravensbrück in 1944.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts four kittens gathered around a food bowl, one standing on its hind legs to reach inside while the others observe. The scene captures a moment of quiet competition and curiosity, evoking themes of instinct, scarcity, and juvenile behavior. The absence of human figures shifts focus to animal agency, suggesting a quiet commentary on desire and access without overt narrative.
Technique & Style
Laur employed loose, expressive brushwork typical of post-impressionism, emphasizing texture over precise detail. The kittens’ fur is rendered with soft, directional strokes, while the bowl and wall patterns suggest form through color contrast rather than line. The green wall with red floral motifs and brown floor create a muted, domestic palette, grounding the scene in an intimate, unidealized space.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp in the early 20th century, likely through acquisition or donation. Its survival through both world wars and its continued display suggest institutional recognition of Laur’s work, despite her relative obscurity compared to contemporaries. No documented provenance exists prior to its museum acquisition.
Context
In early 1900s France, artists increasingly turned to domestic and animal subjects as alternatives to grand historical themes. Laur’s focus on kittens aligns with a broader trend among women painters who found space to explore quiet, intimate moments. Her membership in Freemasonry, while not directly reflected here, may indicate her alignment with progressive circles that valued individual expression.
Legacy
Laur’s work remains largely outside mainstream art historical narratives, though *Who Will Get It?* endures as a quiet example of early 20th-century animal painting. Its presence in a major European museum ensures continued visibility, offering insight into the overlooked contributions of women artists who depicted everyday life with sensitivity and subtlety.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marie Yvonne Laur, also known as Yo Laur and born as Laure Alice Yvonne Brunel, (Paris, 22 July 1879 - Ravensbrück, 11 November 1944) was a French painter and member of the Freemasonry movement.
