Blinking in the Sun, detail (Cat in a Cottage Window) (1881) by Ralph Hedley (1848-1913), Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Oil on canvas
Purchased 1970
Ralph Hedley’s original title for this popular picture was ‘Blinking in the Sun’. The tabby cat is sitting in an old cottage window, which has cracked glass and a worn stone SW. Nevertheless, the cat looks well-fed and contented. It’s springtime, and a white hyacinth and a red tulip are flowering. There’s also a geranium In an earthenware pot, the most popular cottage pot plant.
