Girl With A Kitten is a painting created by Lucian Freud in 1947. The painting features a young girl, Kitty, holding a small kitten by its neck with a distant and emotionless expression. Freud made four oil paintings and various other pieces featuring Kitty.
Lucian Freud was a British artist famous for his neo-figurative portraits and self-portraits. The painting, held in the Tate Britain collection, is an example of his early work, characterized by cold precision, and a sharp focus on the detail of the subject matter.
Girl With A Kitten has been interpreted in various ways, some seeing the painting as a commentary on the relationship between humans and animals, while others view it as a portrayal of the human psyche, revealing Kitty’s detachment, and the tension in the little girl’s body language. Over the years, the painting has become iconic, admired for its startling realism, and its powerful portrayal of an emotionally charged subject matter.
