Cat in Prison



Henry Wriothesley, third  Earl of Southampton with his cat in the Tower of London, c.1601-1603. Painted by John de Critz the Elder. Bridgeman Art Library. London.
This is a portrait of a cat Trixie and his human friend Henry, the third Earl of Southampton. The Earl was imprisoned for some stupid human business into the Tower of London. The cat,  faithful to their friendship, decided to keep him company for the two years of his imprisonment. Trixie, it is said, descended to his cell via the chimney, of course, not even a cat could attempt such a journey, so he was probably helped to come by the Earl's wife. Before his release, the Earl commisioned the painting. 

Back Home||Gallery: Introduction|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21

Cat Breeds||Cat Photo Gallery||Cat History||Customs&Habits||Cat Tales||
Books about Arts||Guestbook||Links||Contact Me