Il gatto

This charming sketch captures a cat's personality with just a few confident pen strokes. Japanese-French artist Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita had a particular fondness for cats, featuring them throughout his career as one of his signature subjects. The loose, expressive lines give this feline an almost mischievous expression, with alert ears and whiskers that seem to twitch with attitude.

Foujita moved to Paris in 1913 and became part of the Montparnasse art scene, blending Japanese ink techniques with Western styles. His minimalist approach here shows his mastery of line work, where he suggests the cat's fluffy fur and sharp features without overworking the drawing. There's something wonderfully honest about this sketch, as if the artist caught the cat in a moment of irritation or disdain, a mood any cat owner would instantly recognize.