A study of a domestic cat, North India, Lucknow, circa 1845

Acquired by Cary Welch before 1983

On loan at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1983

This cat is painted on paper watermarked 'MORBEY & SAUNDERS 1842'. Most paper imported to India from Europe was used within a few years of its arrival, so the present painting was probably executed by 1845. According to the London Post Office Directory of 1843, Morbey and Saunders were paper and bank note manufacturers and wholesale stationers whose premises were locate at 13 George Street, Mansion House in the City of London.

Another version of this painting, of identical composition and also painted on Morbey and Saunders paper of 1842, was formerly in the James Ivory Collection, and was attributed by Jeremiah Losty to Lucknow (see Losty 2010, cat.73, pp.162-3).