On my most recent visits to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, I was so surprised to see Cecily Beau’s “Man with the Cat” portrait. I have always seen this in my art books, but never in person.
This painting is so creamy, and the brushwork so slick. Although there are incredible details in the sitter’s hand and face, the piece does not appear to be overworked. The brushwork looks so playful as if Cecily were lightly dancing with each swipe.
What I love the most about this piece is the lighting. Cecily did such an amazing job capturing those reflective highlights within the sitter’s outfit. Especially within the pant leg, there are these subtle greens with a very warm orange on the very bottom that literally creates a glow throughout the entire piece. In many ways, the areas of the portrait that are the most interesting are actually the areas around the face and hands, which was not very typical for portrait paintings of this time period.
Another area I love in this piece is the sitter’s cat. He seems so contemptuous laying on his lap, and feels so warm and heavy on the sitter’s lap. She did an amazing job capturing that expression, yet didn’t overwork his face. The body is almost abstract, as it is literally created with bold, diagonal swoops of the brush. Even though this painting is sitting in the same room as a beautifully executed Singer Sargent painting, this piece by far steals the show.
