Cat and Butterfly

Xugu (1823–1896), a former soldier who became a Buddhist monk during the Qing Dynasty, created this artwork titled "Cat and Butterfly." His brith name was Zhu Huairen, and he was born in Xin'an (modern-day Shexian), Anhui Province. He later lived in Guangling (modern-day Yangzhou) with his family before joining the imperial army. Details of his military career are limited, although he is recorded as having held the rank of canjiang, sometimes translated as lieutenant colonel. He eventually left the army and took vows as a Buddhist monk, adopting the name Xugu. Yang Yi has described this change in his life as a "sudden emotional stirring." Xugu's artistic career developed during his life as a monk. According to Jung Ying Tsao's biographical account of Xugu, he kept only enough money that he earned through the sale of his artworks to meet his basic needs and donated the remainder to the monasteries where he stayed. During the later years of his life, he lived in Shanghai, where he became part of an active artistic community. One of his closest friends was Ren Bonian; the two artists worked together and painted portraits of each other. Xugu was a painter and poet and is recognised as one of the Four Masters of the Shanghai School, alongside Pu Hua, Ren Bonian, and Wu Changshuo. His subjects included bird-and-flower paintings, fish, squirrels, cats, landscapes, and portraits, with his paintings of flowers and animals being particularly well-known. In "Cat and Butterfly," the cat is outlined with small, dotted strokes that suggest its fur. Its eyes are fixed on the butterflies fluttering above it, while one of its forepaws is raised as though it is about to catch them. The cat appears to be in a garden, with a fence behind it and a chrysanthemum bush extending upwards towards the butterflies. Other plants occupy the lower right corner, while an inscription appears in the upper right corner. The painting is a hanging scroll made with ink and colour on paper. The image measures 134 × 65.4 cm, excluding the mounting and knobs. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the painting is currently housed and is not on view, dates this work to the 19th century. Xugu's cats are often rendered in an unusual, somewhat abstract manner. Their forms may not be immediately recognisable, encouraging viewers to look more closely at the details of the painting. The Metropolitan Museum of Art similarly notes that viewers must actively engage with the dotted outline of the cat to bring its form into focus. According to Jung Ying Tsao, the chrysanthemum, considered to be one of the flowers associated with the Four Gentlemen Amongst Flowers in the Chinese tradition, admired for its beauty and its ability to bloom in the frost, and the cat, associated with independence and strength, are represented in a watered down manner. The painting belongs to the maodie (cat and butterfly) theme. To me, the painting feels surprisingly modern. Xugu's distinctive approach makes the cat both intriguing and endearing, allowing the painting to appeal to viewers today as well as to those of his own time.