''Study for the Madonna of the Cat'' is a set of two drawings by Leonardo da Vinci on both sides (front and back) of a sheet of paper 13 centimeters high and 9.4 centimeters wide. The two drawings were made in pen and brown ink, on a preparatory drawing in

stylus A stylus (plural styli or styluses) is a writing utensil or a small tool for some other form of marking or shaping, for example, in pottery. It can also be a computer accessory that is used to assist in navigating or providing more precision w ...

, with a brown wash on the back. This is one of the six works of Leonardo da Vinci showing the Virgin and

Child A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

playing with a cat or carrying it. A mirror symmetry between the drawings of the two faces is visible by transparency. The ''Study for the Madonna of the Cat'' is currently held at the British Museum in London under inventory number 1856,0621.1. The creative and scientific processes underlying the drawing ''Madonna of the Cat'' have been discussed by many art historians, including Kenneth Clark, Martin Kemp, Carmen Bambach and Larry Feinberg.

Related drawings by Leonardo

Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna col Bambino che carezza un gattino (Gallerie degli Uffizi) (cropped).jpg, Virgin and Child with cat, recto, Uffizi Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna col Bambino che carezza un gattino - verso (Gallerie degli Uffizi).jpg, Virgin and Child with cat, verso, Uffizi Léonard de Vinci, Étude pour une Vierge à l'Enfant jouant avec un chat (musée Bonnat-Helleu).jpg, Virgin and Child with cat, Musée Bonnat Leonardo da Vinci, object 1860,0616.98 - recto (British Museum).jpg, Christ Child with cat, recto, British Museum Leonardo da Vinci, maiden with a unicorn, object 1860,0616.98 - verso (British Museum).jpg, Christ Child with cat, verso, British Museum Leonardo da Vinci, object 1857,0110.1 - recto (British Museum).jpg, Christ Child with cat, recto, British Museum Leonardo da Vinci, object 1857,0110.1 - verso (British Museum).jpg, Christ Child with cat, verso, British Museum Leonardo da Vinci, Virgin and Child Holding a Cat (LD).jpg, Virgin and Child with cat, private collection, NYC

References

Prints and drawings in the British Museum Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci 1478 drawings Madonna and Child in art Cats in art Pages with unreviewed translations {{art-stub

Related drawings by Leonardo

See also

References