Cat Gentleman, Cat Lady

Cecilia Beaux tells us much about the people in her portraits by honoring them with cats

Beaux.,Cecilia, “Man with the Cat (Henry Sturgis Drinker),” 1898. Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). Image in public domain, kindly provided to public by museum.

What did Cecilia Beaux (1855-1942) want to tell us about her brother-in-law when she decided to paint him with a cat?

Take a look below and see what difference the orange tabby makes for your impression of Henry Sturgis Drinker (1850–1937).

Author photos of “Man with the Cat (Henry Sturgis Drinker),” 1898. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Image in public domain. Squiggles added on right.

I covered the cat with squiggly lines in the comparison picture, instead of using an eraser tool. As a journalist, I’m uncomfortable with the ease with which we can alter images these days. Cropping is fine, but removing and adding details should be done only rarely. Thus my clumsy cover-up.

Here’s a close-up of the cat.

Detail of Man with the Cat (Henry Sturgis Drinker),” 1898. Image provided via museum website.

Did this cat make you like the person in the portrait more? Did it make you feel like Henry S. Drinker was more sympathetic?

Henry’s pose in the portrait is natural enough to suggest this was based on a sketch done in person. Maybe the cat…