The Court Musician Set His Bow to the Strings in the Pink Salon
A silver tabby cat with bright golden eyes sits with a violin resting against his shoulder, one soft paw wrapped around the neck of the instrument. His pink silk coat is embroidered with golden flowers, and a pink bow and lace jabot decorate the collar. Behind him, a pink curtain with a tasseled rope, a golden shell, and pale blooms all swirl together in a romantic Rococo dream. The warm wood of the violin glows against all the pale tones, and the cat's striped face is calm and ready to play.
The violin gives the painting a warm, wooden color that anchors all the pastel, and the cat's gray stripes echo the lines of the strings. Music was a favorite theme of Rococo painters, who liked scenes of leisure and elegance.
Cats can hear a much wider range of sounds than people, including very high-pitched ones, so loud music can be uncomfortable for them. Many cats prefer soft, calm sounds, and some seem to enjoy gentle classical tunes. Offer them a quiet room to retreat to if there is noise. Silver tabbies are a coat pattern found in many cats, and like all cats they need play, scratching posts, and a safe perch. Ask your vet if you have questions about hearing or sensitivity to noise.
If this concert has an audience, it is probably a sleepy cat on the windowsill, and he is a very tough critic.
