Cat in Hand

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Artist Saul Steinberg (American, 1914–1999)

Title Cat in Hand

Date 1956, misdated by artist 1958

Medium Graphite on paper

Dimensions Image: 25 3/8 x 19 1/8 in. (64.5 x 48.6 cm)
Sheet: 25 3/8 x 19 1/8 in. (64.5 x 48.6 cm)
Framed (Exhibition Frame): 34 1/8 x 27 1/8 x 1 1/2 in. (86.7 x 68.9 x 3.8 cm)

Credit Line Gift of The Saul Steinberg Foundation, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 2019.84

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About this Work

This drawing accompanied an article in a French magazine entitled “Fumez-vous?” (“Do you smoke?”). While there is a hand holding a smoking cigarette, the real focus is on the cat and the delicate, carved detail on the chair leg. Cats make frequent appearances in Steinberg’s art and became a vessel for emotional expression. He viewed domestication as a transformation that humanized animals, showcasing their unique personalities. To him, the cat was an aloof and antisocial creature.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Cat in Hand | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=2019.84