I’ve become mildly interested in ladies with animals and I don’t know why. I just like them holding each other – coexisting in the same space
I pondered on this, reading scraps about it here and there. I did a bit of research and found a lot of classical portraits of women holding animals in art history. I also read a whole book called ‘Cats in Art’ which was good, but unrelated.
Of course it’s all symbolic. A dog is not a dog, since the 12th century those artists have been sticking moral associations to animal forms. Is Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine about purity or wealth? I don’t know, I haven’t looked into it
Either all these women are holding pets that they’re very fond of (and often seem more emotionally close to than the other people in the paintings) or they represent something everyone at the time was well aware of, but we’ve since lost the context. Also meanings change between time and artists and subjects, obv.
What was that painting of the prostitute where the artist had added a black cat with its tail up as an in-joke about erections? Can anyone remember that painting?
Meanings change: Domesticity, irreverence, virtue, wealth, symbols of youth, ideology – to delightfully lighten the mood of a painting, or illustrate death and suffering.
I don’t know anything about Sarah Allibone Leavitt – also I never will. But from this portrait composition I’m guessing she was probably a witty, independent (*historical restrictions not withstanding) lady. I don’t know her, but I’m getting a feel for her personality here.
Is the cat going to sit in your lap for the portrait? No, the cats gonna do what it wants, and so will I.
I’ve done a few sketches and paintings around this animalistic theme – testing it. Nothing is quite right yet, and meanings vary wildly. I’m really not one for explaining the emotions, feelings, meaning or narrative behind images – for one, it’s entirely subjective to the viewer and their pre-existing experiences
I can’t remember the name of this painting – I finished it in time to be part of Pineapple Black galleries 2019 Summer Show (edit, I remembered) – it’s definitely a dark narrative, but she seems at peace with it at least
Morass is one in a series of portrait paintings (‘Meshed’ series – oil paintings & ink illustrations)
(Meshed) uses classically influenced portraiture styles, materials and compositions, combined with often offbeat colours and symbolism. Rather than a traditional artistic representation of the subject, the portraits represent a feeling, mood, emotion or story; creating small, often conflicting, and occasionally dark narratives.
I have this idea for a situational, fundamentally ‘teesside’ image – but sort of classical painting. 16 century teesside. With a low value animal, being choked to death by the unconcerned lady.
There’s a lot of seagulls around the studio – because of the proximity to the Tees, and they nest here. I can hear them in the roof and I associate them with this place. It’s annoying, I want to choke them
But also in a very real way, there’s an environmental factor. I think a lot of pollution and damage to the environment and that seems to be more of an influence these days. I’m working through sketches at the moment – we’ll see how it goes
Aimee Charlotte 