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Student Artwork Guide

Two cats

Name Class Date

John Frederick Herring Senior, Two cats. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
John Frederick Herring Senior originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/john-frederick-herring-senior/
Artist’s dates
1795 – 1865

In context

Two cats — John Frederick Herring Senior

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1790
  2. 1800
  3. 1810
  4. 1820
  5. 1830
  6. 1840
  7. 1850
  8. 1860

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 70 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of John Frederick Herring Senior (1795–1865) every dated painting, decade by decade

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

  • Mazeppa Pursued by Wolves originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-frederick-herring-senior-mazeppa-pursued-by-wolves-8LJ7GB-en/
  • A Letter of Intent originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-frederick-herring-senior-a-letter-of-intent-8LJ7ER-en/
  • Feeding the Arab originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-frederick-herring-senior-feeding-the-arab-8LJ7FP-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/john-frederick-herring-senior-two-cats-8LJ7J5-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Walnut #6b5234

    Catalogued palette

    • #6B5234
    • #AC9159
    • #332E25
    • #90713E

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Walnut
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Gentle How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Unified Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Balanced Soft How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by John Frederick Herring Senior over the last twelve months — 6 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 64.5%
    2. 2 Hong Kong 12.9%
    3. 3 United States of America 9.7%
    4. 4 Singapore 6.5%
    5. 5 Argentina 3.2%
    6. 6 United Kingdom 3.2%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by John Frederick Herring Senior

    1. 1 Mazeppa Pursued by Wolves 5.9%
    2. 2 Two Horses with a Foal, by a Fence 5.9%
    3. 3 Streatlam Stud, Mares and Foals 5.9%
    4. 4 Two cats this painting 5.9%
    5. 5 Sir Mark Wood with his dark brown filly Vespa, winner of the Oaks in 1833, her trainer H Scott and a groom with a grey hack 2.9%
    6. 6 Mr. Ridsdale and Mr. Gully's St. Giles with William Scott Up 2.9%
    7. 7 A Gray Arab Mare outside a Stable in an Extensive River Landscape 2.9%
    8. 8 Our Nell, A Bay Racehorse in a Stable 2.9%
    9. 9 Three horses at a water trough 2.9%
    10. 10 The Bay Stallion Jack Spigot 2.9%
    11. 11 Waiting for the Ferry 2.9%
    12. 12 Still life of dead birds, fruit, vegetables, a bottle and a jar 2.9%
    13. 13 Feeding the Arab 2.9%
    14. 14 Benjamin steeplechasing 2.9%
    15. 15 Lop-eared rabbits 2.9%
    16. 16 lord chesterfields industry with william scott up at epsom 2.9%
    17. 17 Little Wonder, winner of the Derby, 1840, in a stable 2.9%
    18. 18 Merry Monarch, a bay mare, in a stable 2.9%
    19. 19 Mulatto, a dark brown racehorse in a stable 2.9%
    20. 20 The Hop Pickers 2.9%

    Together these works take 70.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 150 works by this artist, of which 30 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 4 of them, with 5.9% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    John Frederick Herring Senior

    Born in London, United Kingdom

    John Frederick Herring Sr.: A Life in Art and Sport

    Born: September 12, 1795, London, United Kingdom

    Died: September 23, 1865

    Nationality: British

    Occupation: Painter, Sign Maker, Coachman

    Early Life and Career

    Herring's father was a London merchant of Dutch parentage.

    From an early age, Herring displayed a dislike for city life and a strong interest in drawing and horses.

    In 1814, at the age of 18, he moved to Doncaster, England.

    He initially worked as a night coachman and painter of inn signs, which provided him with valuable opportunities to observe horses closely.

    His talent was recognized by local gentry, leading to commissions for portraits of hunters and racehorses.

    Around 1818, he began painting the winners of the St. Leger Cup and later the Derby, gaining wider recognition through engravings of these works.

    Development as an Artist

    He briefly studied under Abraham Cooper, a renowned animal painter.

    In 1836, he added "Sr." to his signature to distinguish himself from his son, John Frederick Herring Jr., who was also becoming an artist.

    His work gained royal patronage, including commissions from the Duchess of Kent and Queen Victoria.

    He visited Paris in 1840-1841 at the invitation of the Duc d’Orleans, painting several pictures for him.

    Herring's subjects expanded beyond horses to include agricultural scenes and narrative paintings.

    Major Achievements and Style

    Royal Patronage: Served as animal painter to HRH the Duchess of Kent and Queen Victoria.

    Sporting Art Icon: Became one of the most celebrated equine and sporting artists of the 19th century.

    Prolific Output: Exhibited extensively at the Royal Academy (1818–1865), British Institution (1830–1865), and Society of British Artists (1836-1852).

    Engravings & Popularity: His paintings were widely reproduced through engravings, increasing his popularity among the public.

    Style: Herring's style was characterized by its realism, attention to detail, and dynamic portrayal of horses in motion. He captured both the power and beauty of these animals with remarkable skill.

    Historical Significance

    Recorder of Sporting Life: Herring’s paintings provide valuable insights into 19th-century British sporting culture, particularly horse racing and hunting.

    Influence on Animal Art: He is considered a significant figure in the history of animal art, alongside Sir Edwin Landseer.

    Family Legacy: His sons and daughters also pursued artistic careers, contributing to a family legacy of creativity.

    Popular Appeal: Herring’s work resonated with a wide audience due to its accessible subject matter and skillful execution.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Two cats

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/john-frederick-herring-senior-two-cats-8LJ7J5-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Senior, John Frederick Herring. Two cats. n.d., https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-frederick-herring-senior-two-cats-8LJ7J5-en/
    APA
    Senior, John Frederick Herring (n.d.). Two cats [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-frederick-herring-senior-two-cats-8LJ7J5-en/
    Chicago
    John Frederick Herring Senior. Two cats. n.d. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-frederick-herring-senior-two-cats-8LJ7J5-en/
    Harvard
    Senior, John Frederick Herring (n.d.) Two cats. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-frederick-herring-senior-two-cats-8LJ7J5-en/

    Look closely

    Two cats — John Frederick Herring Senior

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: cats. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Mazeppa Pursued by Wolves, earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the dominant color of "Two cats" by John Frederick Herring Senior?

    walnut (#6b5234) is the leading color of "Two cats" by John Frederick Herring Senior.

    How do the colors of "Two cats" relate to each other?

    "Two cats" by John Frederick Herring Senior displays a unified palette color harmony.

    Can I use augmented reality to see "Two cats" by John Frederick Herring Senior in my room?

    "Two cats" by John Frederick Herring Senior can be previewed on your own wall with the artwork's AR Preview page, using augmented reality on a compatible device.