Three Black Cats
Carl Kahler, 19th c.Fine art reproduction on 200gsm matte paper. A5 to A1, plus 12x16, 18x24 and 24x36 inches.Picture three pairs of yellow eyes watching you from above the sofa. Every evening, the same silent welcome home.
Three Black Cats by Carl Kahler shows three long-haired cats on a gilded table among old books and scrolls, with a crimson velvet curtain falling behind them. Each one watches from a different angle, and each one seems to know something you don't. Look closely at the curtain. Gold tortoises are embroidered across the velvet. The velvet, the gilt and the old books make a room fit for a scholar, and the cats have claimed it as their own.
Kahler was an Austrian painter who trained in Munich and made his name with cats. In San Francisco in 1891, the socialite Kate Birdsall Johnson asked him to paint all forty-two of her cats in one enormous canvas, later known as My Wife's Lovers. Kahler died in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. In British folklore a black cat crossing your path brings good luck. In much of Europe, it meant the opposite. He travelled as far as Australia, where he painted the crowds at the Melbourne Cup. Three Black Cats belongs to a private collection.
The look
Velvet crimson, antique gold and three pools of black fur lit by yellow eyes. Rich, theatrical and a little mysterious, with every cat watching from a different angle. Black cat wall art for a dark academia reading room, a gothic bedroom, a home library or a maximalist gallery wall.
Sizes
| Size | Centimetres | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| A5 | 14.8 x 21 cm | 5.8 x 8.3 in |
| A4 | 21 x 29.7 cm | 8.3 x 11.7 in |
| A3 | 29.7 x 42 cm | 11.7 x 16.5 in |
| A2 | 42 x 59.4 cm | 16.5 x 23.4 in |
| A1 | 59.4 x 84.1 cm | 23.4 x 33.1 in |
| 12 x 16 in | 30.5 x 40.6 cm | 12 x 16 in |
| 18 x 24 in | 45.7 x 61 cm | 18 x 24 in |
| 24 x 36 in | 61 x 91.4 cm | 24 x 36 in |
Custom sizes on request. Inch sizes have a slightly different shape from A sizes, so the edges trim a little. Size guide
Frames and delivery
Choose a black, white or oak frame, or order the print unframed. It is printed locally in the UK, Europe, the US, Canada or Australia, at the location closest to you. Free tracked shipping, no customs fees. Printing and delivery
Gifting
A warm gift for a birthday, a housewarming or a new home library. A loving tribute in memory of a much-missed cat.
More like this
For more witchy companions, see Witches' Sabbath by Francisco Goya in Gothic Memento Mori Art. For more old books by candlelight, see Still Life with Books by Jan Lievens in Dutch Golden Age Prints.
