Andy Warhol and the Love of Cats

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The Cover of 25 Cats Name Sam
and One Blue Pussy
Source: The Cut 

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you probably know that I love cats. I have three of them in my house at the moment, and I would gladly have more if it was feasible. However, there is one artist who puts my love of cats to shame: Andy Warhol.

Most people can recognize Warhol’s work by sight, even if they don’t know his name. Born in Pittsburgh, Warhol is now known for his portraits of Marilyn Monroe and his paintings of Campbell’s soup cans. Personally I’m not a huge fan of pop art—the style that Warhol is known for—however, I can certainly acknowledge that Warhol was a great painter of cats.

Although he painted and drew cats throughout his career, his best-known cat art comes in the form of a book of lithographs that he published in 1954. The book was entitled 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy, although it only actually depicts sixteen cats. The title of the cats refers to the twenty-five cats that lived with Warhol and his mother. Of these cats, twenty-four were named Sam and one was named Hester (I’m assuming that Hester was the one blue pussy). Hester was the Warhols’ first cat, but Andy Warhol decided to bring another cat home after worrying that Hester would become lonely. The population spiraled from there.

The cats of 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy are brightly colored and expressive. It is clear that these are portraits of individual animals, not generalized images. Although the images are not realistic, in studying each painting, you can see the cat’s individual personality, depicted with loving attention. 

Sam
Source: The Cut 

One Blue Pussy
Source: The Cut 

Sam
Source: The Cut 

Sam
Source: The Cut 

So, why was Warhol so interested in depicting cats? Aside from the fact that cats are, in my opinion, inherently wonderful and interesting, they are undoubtedly interesting from an artistic perspective. Cats tend to be graceful in their movements and are extremely flexible; it’s not hard to imagine that their odd contortions and poses would inspire artists. Warhol also had a tendency to be reclusive, and it’s easy to see how cats could have provided an easy artistic subject. Regardless of the reason, Warhol’s 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy is a charming and imaginative tribute to domestic cats at their finest.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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