Fat Cat Art: All Masterpieces Should Include a Cat, and Now They Do
TweetNeither I nor my dogs and cats were compensated in any way for this post. We were given an advance copy of the book to review. All opinions are mine, although the dogs and cats may have provided some commentary as I wrote.
Not only are my creative pets poets, crafting Haiku by Cat and Haiku by Dog, they are also fans of the visual arts, sometimes showing their appreciation of the great works by recreating them in their own fashion.
Like Athena here, channeling her inner odalisque.
Or Calvin as gargoyle.
Of course, I’m a fan of the arts as well, and often write about topics that are near and dear to my my heart: dogs or cats (or both) and art. For example, I was thrilled to get a behind-the-scenes tour of The Dog Show, an art exhibition at the Morris Museum here in New Jersey, and my geek side was totally engaged by the Chrome extension that replaces the boring old tab with cat-related images from New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Fat Cat Art is now available in book form
It should be no surprise that I leapt at the opportunity to get a sneak peak at Fat Cat Art: Famous Masterpieces Improved by a Ginger Cat with Attitude, a book by Svetlana Petrova and her ginger tabby Zarathustra, in which the rather rotund kitty is artfully added to some of the most famous paintings, etchings, sculptures and other familiar works you’d find hanging in the Met, the Louvre or the Hermitage.
The works (which can also be found on their website Fat Cat Art) are collaborations between Svetlana and Zarathustra, who loves the attention, and enjoys being a model and a muse. As would be true of any exhibition cat-alog (I dare anyone not to appreciate that purr-fect pun) each piece is accompanied by text offering context and hiss-tory.
A Sniff Inside Fat Cat Art
Here are some of my favorites:
I’ve always loved impressionist art, and would love to dive into any of Claude Monet’s water lily paintings. (It’s a goal of mine to visit his garden in France.) Here Zarathustra gets into the picture; he’s one cool cat.
Cats melt, bend and pour. Thus they seem purr-fectly at home in a Salvador Dali painting.
So much mystery surrounds the smile on the face of Leonardo DaVinci’s Mona Lisa. I think we’re ready for the truth; who wouldn’t smile like that if you had a purring cat on your lap?
The book goes on sale this Tuesday. It would make a great gift for any of your art- and cat-loving friends.
Want to know more? Read my exclusive interview with Zarathustra.
Win a copy of Fat Cat Art book or one of Svetlana and Zarathustra’s Fat Cat Prints
Svetlana and Zarathustra have generously offered to provide two books and two prints to four lucky winners.
The prints are either the Mona Lisa shown above or the ever-popular American Gothic:
Congratulations to the winners!
- Book: Sierra K., Megan C.
- American Gothic print: Paul G.
- Mona Lisa print: Angelika A.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What famous painting do you think your pet would fit in? You may also like:
- Photo: Cat in the Style of Rene Magritte
- Photo: Cat Imitating Art
- The Dog Show: Art of Our Canine Companions
- Tabs or Tab-bies: Meow Met app is where cats, art and technology meet
- Photo: Cat Gargoyle
- Cat Art: Calvin by BZTAT
- With 25-Foot Tall Hydrant Sculpture, Wildwood NJ Beach Has Gone to the Dogs
Sweepstakes can also be found on the following sites:
Today we’re participating in the Monday Mischief Blog Hop. Stop by and visit some of the other blogs below.
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Athena and Calvin, your interpretations of those works of art are fabulous! 🙂
We have this wonderful book already. Whoever wins it will LOVE it. 🙂
Since we have the book, we’d choose a print if we won. “Mona Lisa” makes us laugh each time we look at it, so we’d choose that. 🙂
Thanks, pals!
I agree, it makes art interesting :o) I specially love thze waterlily garden artwork :o)
BOL! How cute and funny! 🙂
This is just too funny! It took awhile for mom to figure out what was going on though. Her first love of art were the French posters with le chat. She’s been to France and where all the painters hung out, she loves art and museums. Also, she LOVES fat cats but knows they shouldn’t be. Mom doesn’t know why she isn’t getting your emails because she is subscribed. Love Dolly PeeS: Thinking of you today on our walk as my friend Otto’s mom just found out she probably has Lyme Disease.
Zarathustra is on a diet; he was spoiled by the author’s mom, and she’s trying to get him back to a more normal weight, but it does take time.
Those are wonderful. It shows you can improve a masterpiece with a cat. I will always think of Mona Lisa with a cat on her lap.
Those paintings made me laugh! The cheeseburger was a nice touch.
Athena looks fab!!! We entered! This book looks so great.
Life imitating art? Hmmmm, I am not sure what art pieces my pups would be in.
Would really love the American Gothic fat cat print xxx
I would like a copy of the book!
Awesome giveaway! I hope I get the Mona Lisa print!
good luck to all who enter! We ADORE that book and reviewed it a month or so ago…whomever wins sure will be lucky!
catchatwithcarenandcody
The Mona Lisa is hilarious! What a fun idea.
It makes me giggle every time I see it.
These are so cool! I would rather have the book because I want to see what else is in it!
The book, please
I would be happy with either of the prizes so no preference 🙂
I would love the book!!
No, no, NO! Don’t make me choose! But if I must, I would love to have the Mona Lisa print. I have a lifetime affinity with her. And, I’m a graduate of art, so I’m going to have to get this book as well. Thanks for the opportunity!
You can buy the book directly from my site by clicking on the link.
I think that a big orange kitty is the perfect addition to the Mona Lisa! He looks great in all of the other pieces too. Adding cats to life just makes it all better and this is proof.
I love this cat so much!!
We would love a copy of the book if we win!
Love this!
😀
I would like a print.
I would love the Mona Lisa print :]
I love that Mona lisa art. Now I know why shes smiling. I mean almost smiling..
We always knew there was a secret! 😉