The artwork titled “Seated Man with Cat on His Lap” was created by the artist M.C. Escher in the year 1919. It belongs to the Expressionism art movement and is classified within the portrait genre.
The artwork portrays a man seated with his hands resting gently on a cat that is nestled in his lap. The figure is depicted using stark contrasts of black and white, characteristic of Escher’s signature woodcut technique. The man is dressed in formal attire and sits calmly, his demeanor exuding a sense of contemplation or introspection. Behind him, a patterned background enhances the composition, with the repeating geometric shapes creating a visually harmonious and somewhat hypnotic effect. Despite the simplicity of the scene, the expressive lines and the careful placement of light and shadow imbue the piece with profound emotional depth, reflecting the key attributes of the Expressionist movement.