Divine Felines: The Cat in Japanese Art: With 200 Illustrations

From Hello Kitty to Maneki Neko--Japan is the epicentre of global cat culture!

Whether lurking in corners or taking center stage, cats are a ubiquitous presence in Japanese art. Depending on the situation, they may invite good fortune, prompt the viewer to meditate on a tale or provide evidence of an unseen world of magic and supernatural happenings.

In 200 charming woodblock prints, paintings, screens and figurines spanning three centuries, Japanese art expert Rhiannon Paget celebrates the rich symbolism and surprising stories surrounding the feline image in Japan.

This collection features works from over 30 museums and institions across the world, and contains essays on the following fascinating topics:

• Domestic Companion or Household God? Japanese artists represent the great affection and sense of pride which bonds cat owners to their pets
• The Feline Muse: Feline figures as ideal subjects for artists to explore in fluid lines and organic forms, their glossy fur and markings lending themselves to the interplay of textures and materials
• Lucky Cats: Auspicious creatures in Japanese culture, symbolizing health, longevity and prosperity
• Mischief and Mayhem: Japan’s rich visual record of cats as witches and feline monsters
• Philosophers’ Cats, Teachers’ Pets and Moggies with Messages: The felines deployed to illustrate philosophical and religious ideas, and as conveyors of folk wisdom
• Plus much more!

Rhiannon Paget is the curator of Asian Art at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida. She received her doctorate from the University of Sydney and has published research on Japanese prints, paintings, textiles and popular visual culture as well as curating numerous exhibitions, including Saito Kiyoshi: Graphic Awakening, in 2021.