How many children cut their literary teeth on the clever vanishings of Macavity, the Mystery Cat (“Macavity’s not there!”)—all the while unknowingly repeating the rhymes of T. S. Eliot—one of the twentieth century’s most distinguished poet-critics? What about the other feline phenomena from the literary canon—Edward Gorey’s playful illustrations of cats from all walks of life (which revealed Gorey’s own predilection for these gentle beasts: he usually had at least six living with him at any given time), Sir John Tenniel’s beloved rendering of Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat, the charmed creatures of Kathleen Hale’s Orlando, the works of Beatrix Potter, and yes, even Edward Lear’s nineteenth-century Foss?
From Ancient Egypt onward, cat illustrators have endeavored to capture the character and charm of this notoriously elusive animal. Among the better-known artists whose work is reproduced and this engagingly representative volume are Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, Arthur Rackham, and Aubrey Beardsley. Lavishly illustrated with some of the finest renderings of cats throughout the ages, Cats in Books covers not just the ironically familiar felines of modern literature, but also lesser known cats from works like the Lindisfarne Gospels, the Lutrell Psalter, and The Book of Kells. The perfect gift for the cat fancier and bibliophile alike, this volume and its delightful depictions of cats throughout the ages will fascinate readers who share a passion for all things involving the Felis Catus—or simply the longstanding relationship between the books in our hands and the charming creatures curled up on our laps.
Introduction
The Lindisfarne Gospels
The Book of Kells
Psalter and Bestiary
Leonardo da Vinci
Caxton's Aesop
Adam & Eve
Histories
Witches' Cats
Dick Whittington & His Cat
The Cat and the Mice
Le Chat D'angora
British Quadrupeds
Grandville's La Fontaine
Historic Animals
Puss in Boots
The White Cat
Struwwelpeter
Harrison Weir
Dame Trot
The Cheshire Cat
Edward Lear
The Owl and the Pussycat
Victorian children's illustrations
The House that Jack Built
Louis Wain
Henriette Ronner
The Black Cat
The Cat that Walked by Himself
Tom Kitten and the Roly-Poly Pudding
Cecil Aldin
Harry Whittier Freese
Krazy Kat
Orlando, The Marmalade Cat
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
The Cat in the Hat
Searle's Big Fat Cats
The Church Mice
Kliban and Davis
Picture Sources
Index
Acknowledgements
Rodney Dale is a lifelong cat lover and the author of over thirty volumes, including the first biography of cat illustrator Louis Wain (1860–1939).
Publisher: British Library
Distributor: Chicago Distribution Center
Publication Date: 10-15-2008
Pages: 160
Measurements: 8.25in X 5.33in X 0.30in
