Raminou sitting on a cloth - Suzanne Valadon

A 1920 oil painting by Suzanne Valadon featuring her cat, Raminou, set against a backdrop of patterned textiles.

Suzanne Valadon, a self-taught painter who began her career as a model for artists such as Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec, developed a distinct approach to composition and colour. In this 1920 work, she depicts her cat, Raminou, positioned centrally within a domestic setting. The subject sits upon a draped fabric, which provides a soft, neutral base for the animal. Behind the cat, a patterned textile hangs, introducing geometric motifs and a darker, muted green tone that contrasts with the orange-striped fur of the feline.

Valadon employs a firm, clear outline around the cat, a technique that separates the subject from the background and provides a sense of physical presence. The brushwork is direct, avoiding the soft edges often found in Impressionist works. Instead, the artist focuses on the solidity of form and the specific textures of the fabrics. The palette relies on earthy tones, including ochre, cream, and deep forest green, punctuated by the warm ginger hues of the cat. The composition is structured, with the verticality of the hanging cloth balancing the seated posture of the animal.

This painting reflects Valadon's interest in the immediate environment of her home. She often turned her attention to the people and animals in her life, treating them with the same analytical gaze she applied to her figure studies. The work avoids sentimentality, presenting the cat as a formal subject within a carefully arranged space. The inclusion of the patterned textile suggests an interest in decorative elements, which she integrates into the overall structure of the image. This print captures the specific character of the subject and the artist's direct, unadorned style, making it a representative example of her later work.