Cats (recto); Sketch of Two Figures Embracing (verso) (1838–91): Art, History and Details

Cats (recto); Sketch of Two Figures Embracing (verso) (1838–91) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Théodule Ribot (French, 1823–1891).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Drawing was an essential part of Théodule Ribot's practice and he often sketched his environs from life. As a realist artist, Ribot favored humble subjects taken from everyday life. This double-sided sheet was likely one that he reused for two disparate images: a cat viewed from three angles, perhaps in his studio, and what appears to be a sculpture of two figures embracing.

Object facts

• Title: Cats (recto); Sketch of Two Figures Embracing (verso)
• Date: 1838–91
• Creator attribution: Théodule Ribot (French, 1823–1891)
• Culture: France, 19th century
• Type: Drawing
• Technique: pen and black ink and brush and black wash on paper
• Dimensions: Sheet: 23.5 x 17.1 cm (9 1/4 x 6 3/4 in.)
• Collection: DR - French
• Department: Drawings
• Accession number: 2010.285

A detail from the museum

Théodule Ribot's son, Germain, was also a genre painter.

Collection credit

Bequest of Muriel Butkin

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.