Henriette Ronner-Knip in the 19th century gained incredible popularity by drawing cats, kittens and other animals.

Biography

Henriette Ronner-Knip was born into a family of painters, and at the age of 5 she was already copying her father’s sketches. She did not receive an academic education, she studied painting on her own, under the supervision of her father. They did not live richly, and when a painting by a young, 16-year-old artist was sold at the first exhibition in Düsseldorf, it became a great joy for the family. It is symbolic that a cat was depicted on the canvas. Yard favorite marked the beginning of the career of one of the best animal artists.

The topic of cats was forgotten for a while. Henriette Ronner-Kniep successfully painted pastoral landscapes, still lifes, domestic animals, dogs, cattle, birds – these paintings sold well. At that time, many merchants used large dogs to transport carts with goods. Many of them wanted to capture the memory of their four-legged friend and faithful assistant. Such orders were very useful, because the artist had a sick husband and six children in her care.

At the Brussels exhibition, her paintings gained incredible popularity, orders from influential people fell like a cornucopia. Even the Queen of Holland wanted Henrietta to draw her favorite dogs. It was a success. The artist gained worldwide fame, and began to work with the august persons of many European countries.

Painting by Henriette Ronner-Knip – animals with soul and character

A real artist continued to develop and create for the soul, even if his canvases are well paid. By her 50s, Henriette Ronner-Knip has returned to her beloved cats. She adored fluffy sitters, and in the pictures they came out as if they were alive. It is believed that it was Henrietta who became the founder of anthropomorphism in animalistics, that is, endowing animals with “human” emotions.

At the beginning of her career, the artist painted according to the canons of the old Dutch school of painting, and then she was completely captured by impressionism. It was in this genre that the artist painted her now popular cats and kittens.

Henriette Ronner-Knip lived a long and eventful life. She passed away at the age of 88 with a brush in her hand. Unfortunately, she did not enter the history of painting along with famous male artists. This probably happened due to the fact that she found her niche early and did not fight with other authors for a place in the sun.