“Austrian artist Carl Kahler’s towering canvas centers on three larger than life-sized black cats conspicuously perched atop an ornate table in a lavish interior. Their yellow eyes and piercing gaze position the viewer as an intruder. Seen from every angle–from the back at left, the front at center, and the side at right–the three cats together give a sense of each one in the round. The books and scrolls of paper strewn across the table suggest a voracious cerebral appetite, while the open jewel-encrusted box, heavily embroidered curtain, and bulbous vase at right tease other more tangible pleasures.” https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/19th-century-european-art/three-black-cats