Thomas François Cartier (French, 1879-1943) Cat Playing with a Bell signed T CARTIER (to the base) patinated bronze height 9 3/4 in. (24.76 cm.); length 8 in. (20.32 cm.); width 5 1/2 in. (13.97 cm.) Footnotes: Provenance John Walker Antiques, New York, 17 November 1998, Lot 2; Acquired by the current owner from the above. Exhibited Caticons: The Cat in Art. SFO Museum, SFO International Airport, International Terminal Pre-Security, San Francisco, 21 July 2018 - 21 April 2019. Literature Lerner, Sandy. Caticons: 4,000 Years of Art Imitating Cats, Ayrshire House Publishing, 2017, p. 114, illustrated. Thomas François Cartier (French, 1879-1943) is best known as a master of the animalier tradition, celebrated for his naturalistic yet romanticized portrayals of animals. In this engaging bronze, Cartier combines his keen observation of feline behavior with a motif steeped in cultural and literary symbolism. The pairing of a cat and a bell has long carried symbolic resonance across cultures. In Japan, the Maneki-neko (beckoning cat) is traditionally depicted wearing a bell-adorned collar, an emblem associated with prosperity and good fortune. During the Edo period, wealthy cat owners often fitted their pets with bells both as a practical means of tracking their movements and as protective talismans believed to ward off evil spirits. The motif also recalls the well-known fable Belling the Cat, in which a group of mice devise a plan to hang a bell around a cat's neck to warn of its approach, only to discover that none is willing to perform the perilous task. The story gave rise to the enduring idiom 'to bell the cat,' describing the acceptance of an exceptionally difficult or perilous undertaking. Cartier's treatment of the subject is both playful and psychologically compelling. He presents the cat transfixed by the bell, stretching forward with an outstretched paw in an apparent attempt to set it ringing. The pose captures a fleeting moment of feline curiosity with remarkable vitality and anatomical precision, while simultaneously inviting broader symbolic interpretations. The resulting composition exemplifies Cartier's gift for imbuing his animal subjects with both lifelike movement and narrative richness. Condition reports are not provided in catalog descriptions. The absence of a condition report does not guarantee that the lot is in good condition or free from damage and wear. We encourage you to request a condition report and/or additional photos prior to bidding on any lot. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing