Fat Cat Art: Famous Masterpieces Improved by a Ginger Cat with Attitude by Svetlana Petrova and Zarathustra the Cat

Reviewed by Jeanne

It’s no secret that I like cats—a lot—so friends tend to send me links to various memes, videos, or stories.  Back a few years ago, one such link led me to an amazing assortment of Old Master paintings which had a very large, very orange cat added to them.  It was easier to see why Mona Lisa was smiling: I would, if I was also cuddling a fat cat.  Periodically, someone else would discover this site and send me a link and every time I’d go back and look again.  

So imagine my delight to find that there is now a book collecting not only the ones I’d seen, but a whole host of new (at least to me) images!

In the preface, artist Petrova explains that Zarathustra was her late mother’s cat.  Missing her mother, a friend suggested that she use Zarathustra in her art as a way of coping with her grief so Petrova started using Photoshop to insert the feline into famous paintings.  She put a few online and more or less forgot about them until someone told her that her work was everywhere on the Internet.  Happily, she continued to produce images and this book is the result.

Roman Art

The book is divided up the same way that any art text book might be, by time period and then by geographic area.  It begins with ancient and medieval art, so there is the great Zarathustra adorning the wall of a cave alongside a prehistoric horse, integrated into a Roman mosaic, and as part of the Bayeux Tapestry.  The book has the added bonus of commentary straight from the horse’s—er, cat’s – mouth as to the origins of the particular piece.  Naturally, he employs the majestic plural as he describes the particular piece and its origin.  He also adds pieces of advice, as when he notes under the Egyptian piece “Hunting in the marshes” from the Tomb of Nebaumun:

“The Internet is a lot like ancient Egypt; people write on ‘walls’ expressing their worship of Cats.  Please, humans, don’t just write on walls.  Take the time to actually worship your Cats, please.  Right now, please go and give a good belly rub to your kitty.”

Cave Art

The book proceeds through the Italian Renaissance, Dutch and Flemish art in the 17^th century, Spanish and British art in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, and so forth.  It’s a glorious trip through art history. The illustrations have to be seen to be believed; words do not do them justice.  Petrova has been careful to match pose and lighting so that Zarthustra seems a natural part of the painting, and to print the pieces onto canvas, supplemented with appropriate pigments, oils, and gels to match the original.  In fact, this attention to detail caused a problem with a customs agent who believed that the painting was a true old master. 

Russian Art

I can’t say that I blame him.  The work is so convincing that it’s easy to believe that they are indeed real.  Who knew that da Vinci’s painting was really entitled Lady with a Cat Pretending to be an Ermine? Or that James McNeil Whistler’s composition was originally called Arrangement in Gray, Black, and Ginger? And my image of David’s Napoleon Crossing the Alps is now forever altered, as is Washington Crossing the Delaware by Leutze. Thank goodness the rebel troops had a fat orange cat to both keep them warm and guide them.

Patriotic Art

For those who are rolling their eyes at this point, let me add that these are best enjoyed by those who know the original artwork.  I was as fascinated by the art that I didn’t recognize as those pieces I did, and was intrigued enough to look up the originals—which is what Petrova hoped people would do. Opinions may differ, but other than my dear old Art History professor Betty Gilliam, I can’t think of a better guide to the world of classic art than an orange, egocentric, fat cat.

Gothic Art

While you’re waiting for the book, check out http://fatcatart.com/.  Besides a lovely assortment of “improved” paintings, there are usually links to various galleries for views of the less adorned versions.

"It's about time feline art received its due!" ~ Elmer

Nevermore: Fat Cats, Baseball, Psychics, Physics, and King Arthur

Reported by Ambrea

Elmer auditions for Fat Cat Art II

Nevermore began with a familiar book for us at the library:  Fat Cat Art:  Famous Masterpieces Improved by a Ginger Cat with Attitude by Svetlana Petrova—which features none other than Zarathustra, Petrova’s now famous twenty-two-pound, ginger-colored cat.  Beginning as an internet sensation, Fat Cat Art completely rewrites art history by taking some of the world’s greatest works of art (The Mona Lisa by DaVinci, Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, the Lascaux Cave wall painting, Declaration of Independence by John Trumball, The Kiss by Gustave Klimt, and much more!) and adding a delightfully plump cat.  Our Nevermore reader thought it was great book to read.  An amusing book filled with many wonderful illustrations, Fat Cat Art (along with Cats Gallery of Western Art by Susan Herbert) earned a lot of laughter from our readers—and some very good recommendations.

Next, our readers looked at Tales from the Dugout:  The Greatest True Baseball Stories Ever Told by Mike Shannon.  In Tales from the Dugout, Shannon compiles some of the most interesting stories about baseball’s most famous—or, sometimes, its most obscure—players.  Our reader, who is a fan of baseball, found Shannon’s book especially informative.  She said it was interesting to read so many stories about the baseball stars she knew and loved, but, more importantly, she was excited to learn about baseball players she never knew.  Ed Whitson, for instance, played for the New York Yankees—and he was locally known!  Born in Johnson City, Whitson was drafted to the major leagues after he completed high school in Unicoi County.  Our reader was fascinated by this book’s local connection to the region.

One of our readers also finished reading The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell.  In our last meeting, our reader discussed Mitchell’s novel—in which Holly Sykes, a psychic with unexpected connections to two warring tribes of mystics, is caught in a dangerous supernatural war—and his experiences with the novel so far.  After finishing The Bone Clocks, he said he enjoyed it overall.  “It’s quite a bit to keep up with,” he said, “[but] it keeps you on your toes.”  He also thought Mitchell’s book was interesting because it introduced him to British slang, including new words he hadn’t had the opportunity to see.

Additionally, our readers delved into Finding Camlann by Sean Pidgeon.  Donald Gladstone is an archaeologists and, like many in his field, he is fairly certain King Arthur never existed; however, when new facts are unearthed at Stonehenge, he decides to reevaluate what he knows and, after joining Julia Llewllyn, a linguist who is working with the Oxford English Dictionary, he sets off to discover the truth of King Arthur—and change history as we know it.  Our reader was rather impressed by the way Pidgeon manages to incorporate mythology, history, and mystery all at once.  She said it was “good to read, but sort of tricky” with all the elements of mythology and history that the author combines.

Last, our readers explored First You Build a Cloud:  And Other Reflections on Physics as a Way of Life by K.C. Cole.  Like Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku—which our readers explored last week, and this week—First You Build a Cloud explores physics, including gravity and light, quantum leaps and quasars, atomic particles and more.  Cole manages to explain complex mathematics and astrophysics for readers to understand and, more importantly, enjoy.  Our reader said she found it fascinating and, while she still might not understand much about quantum leaps, she does find she learned quite a bit more from K.C. Cole’s book.