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Probably by Jean-Baptiste Perronneau, 'A Girl with a Kitten', 1743

About the work

Overview

This little girl, who has not been identified, has been posed by the artist, and the kitten by the girl. A cat is sometimes included in portraits of children as a symbol of the wildness of nature intruding upon the innocence of childhood.

The picture is probably a portrait, albeit an idealised one, rather than a genre scene. Although it bears the artist’s signature and the date 1745, some question whether A Girl with a Kitten is indeed by Perronneau. The pigments in the pastels, the canvas and the paper are all consistent with a work produced in the eighteenth century, yet the draughtsmanship and sense of anatomy seem unusually poor for Perronneau at this stage of his career. However, some skilled parts are consistent with his technique and the signature is of the same date as the rest of the image.

Despite these uncertainties, this remains one of the most popular pastels in our collection.

Key facts

Details

Full title
A Girl with a Kitten
Artist
Probably by Jean-Baptiste Perronneau
Artist dates
1715/16 - 1783
Date made
1743
Medium and support
pastel on blue paper, mounted on canvas
Dimensions
59.1 × 49.8 cm
Inscription summary
Signed; Dated
Acquisition credit
Presented by Sir Joseph Duveen, 1921
Inventory number
NG3588
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
19th-century French Frame

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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