Woman Eating, Known as ‘The Cat’s Breakfast’, Gabriël Metsu, c. 1661 - c. 1664
oil on panel, h 34cm × w 27cm × d 6cm More details
A woman of humble origin shares her meal with a cat. In the 17th century it was not unusual to consume herring with bread (and beer!) for breakfast. Due to ageing, the yellow pigment in the stems of the flowers in the vase has disappeared, turning the original green colour blue.
