This scene, brimming with mischief, captures a playful moment between two children and a cat, where innocence meets impishness.
The central boy, dressed in a splendid chamois costume adorned with blue braiding, displays a wide teasing smile beneath his cheerful red hat. With a quick gesture, he snatches away the treat that had tempted the feline, while firmly holding the animal with his other hand. To the left, the second child, with long blonde hair falling over one shoulder, observes the scene with an expression that mingles amusement and apprehension.
Leyster’s warm palette and spontaneous brushwork infuse this composition with infectious energy, orchestrated through a masterful play of diagonals. The uniform brown background focuses attention on the action, while the light delicately illuminates the faces, revealing the fresh vitality of childhood. This canvas demonstrates Leyster’s genius for capturing everyday emotions with genuine authenticity.
Additional Information
- Two Children with a Cat, by Judith Leyster, c. 1630
- Oil on canvas, 61 x 52 cm
- The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
- https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/Two-Children-with-a-Cat–48386a71cb4e77d5b3e501ac633f23a6
Judith Leyster (1609-1660) stands as a remarkable figure among the few female painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Admitted to the Haarlem Guild of Saint Luke in 1633, she demonstrated exceptional mastery of genre scenes and portraiture. She developed a vibrant style characterized by free brushwork and acute psychological observation.
As the wife of painter Jan Miense Molenaer, she often signed her works with her distinctive monogram accompanied by a star—a wordplay on her surname (“ley ster” meaning “guiding star”). Long forgotten, her work was rediscovered in the 19th century and continues to be celebrated today for its freshness and humanity.
