Cleveland Museum of Art

Sleeping Cat

Date

early to mid-1800s

Medium

Porcelain with overglaze color enamel and gold (Hizen ware)

Culture

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

Department

Japanese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Models of sleeping cats with collars and bells like this one were popular as decorative objects, and some of them also served as incense burners or hand warmers. This cat was just for display and has very carefully incised lines in the surface of the clay body, as well as thin strokes of orange and gold over the glaze to create the sense of soft fur.

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