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Cats Being Instructed in the Art of Mouse-Catching by an Owl (c. 1700)
Original price was: $599.00.$299.00Current price is: $299.00.
Artist: Lombard School (Unknown Artist)
Buy 2, get 1 free
Free one: $299 size
A satirical Lombard School allegory, c. 1700, of nine cats gathered around a solemn owl perched on a book of mouse pictures, as if in a bizarre music lesson.
Description
Description
This eccentric and enduringly popular Lombard School painting, dated to around 1700, depicts an owl perched solemnly atop an open book decorated with drawings of mice. Surrounding the owl are nine black and grey cats, gathered as if attending a lesson or concert; two of the cats hold musical instruments, one wears a necklace, and a small imp-like winged figure is also perched on the book, comically holding a trumpet. The painting is composed within a painted lunette format, a device often used in Italian decorative schemes of the period.
The scene plays on an absurd premise: an owl, not naturally a hunter of mice in the way a cat is, appears to instruct the cats in mouse-catching, a skill they would already possess by instinct. This droll inversion gives the composition a satirical, almost theatrical quality typical of Northern Italian animal allegories from the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, where anthropomorphized animals were used to poke fun at human institutions such as schools, choirs, and academies.
Our reproduction is a hand-painted oil on canvas, created by skilled studio artists who study the original composition closely to recreate its palette, texture, and painterly detail. Every cat’s fur, the owl’s feathers, and the tiny mouse illustrations on the book are rendered by hand using traditional oil techniques, not printed or mechanically reproduced.
- Hand-painted oil on canvas reproduction
- Faithful to the original Lombard School composition, c. 1700
- Available in a range of sizes to suit your space
- Ready to hang or frame as desired
A charming, conversation-starting piece for collectors of whimsical animal art, Old Master curiosities, or anyone drawn to the eccentric side of Baroque painting.
Additional information
Additional information
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PRODUCT INFORMATION
Each ByMuseum artwork is a hand-painted oil painting reproduction created by trained artists on high-quality cotton canvas. Every piece is reviewed, finished, and packed according to the framing option you select.
Empty walls flatten a room. A classical artwork restores structure and visual hierarchy. One painting defines the space, anchors furniture, and establishes identity.
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Authentic hand-painted reproduction
Real brushwork, layered oil paint, and durable pigments on museum-quality canvas.
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Unframed — Rolled in Tube
Your artwork is painted on premium cotton canvas, then shipped safely rolled in a rigid tube with extra blank canvas border — ready for stretching or framing locally.
Framed — Ready to Hang
Select a handcrafted frame and we’ll deliver your painting fully assembled, protected, and ready to hang.
For safe shipping, framing is available up to a maximum size. Larger sizes will automatically disable the frame option.
Stretched Canvas
Choose “Stretched” to receive your canvas mounted on wooden stretcher bars — perfect if you’ll frame it later or display it as-is.
Gallery Wrap
Gallery Wrap is a deeper, 1.5" style stretcher. The canvas wraps around the sides and is stapled on the back for a clean, modern, frameless look.
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We ship with UPS, FedEx, or DHL straight to your door. You’ll receive a tracking number as soon as your order leaves our studio. Typical delivery is 5 to 7 days after dispatch; large, framed, or stretched pieces may take longer depending on the safest shipping route.
Unframed canvases are protected with a film, carefully rolled, and secured inside a rigid shipping tube.
Stretched, Gallery Wrapped, and Framed paintings are wrapped, cushioned with foam protection, and boxed for safe transit.
