The Cats

The Cats is a sophisticated print created by the pioneering French artist Édouard Manet (1832-1883) between 1868 and 1869, and published in collaboration with Alfred Strölin. Although Manet is most famous for his large oil paintings that challenged the conventions of the Parisian Salon, he was also a dedicated printmaker who viewed the graphic arts as a vital means of artistic expression. This specific impression is a compelling example of 19th-century French printmaking, employing the complex techniques of etching and aquatint, applied with plate tone in a deep, warm black ink on cream laid paper.

The combination of etching, which allows for sharp, precise line work, and aquatint, which creates atmospheric areas of tone, provides this image with textural richness and depth. The work originated in France during a period of intense artistic experimentation, where Manet often used prints to rework themes or studies from his paintings, focusing on scenes of contemporary life and often unsettling subjects. As a central figure in the shift toward Modernism, Manet utilized prints to disseminate his controversial imagery more widely among a receptive audience.

This classification of fine art prints, like many of Manet’s later graphic compositions, is now often included in the public domain, highlighting the importance of preservation and accessibility for historical media. This significant impression of The Cats is held in the renowned collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a critical document of Manet's masterful command over the demanding processes of the graphic medium.