# Six Studies of a Cat

- By: Thomas Gainsborough (Sudbury (Suffolk), ca. –1788)
- Date: c. 1763 - c. 1769
- Medium: paper, chalk
- Classification: drawing
- Dimensions: height 332 mm x width 459 mm
- Credit line: Purchased with the support of the F.G. Waller-Fonds
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/RP-T-1952-114--5f8790b5a04fb4c658fb738871aa3581)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://iiif.micr.io/DtvaT/full/!1920,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Thomas Gainsborough was one of the most celebrated English portraitists of the 18th century. Cats and dogs also belonged to his repertory, because his sitters frequently wished to be portrayed with their favourite pet. These studies are exceptionally true-to-life and show the same cat in various positions: comfortably curled up, dozing and washing itself.