Batou
Size
40×40cm
Year
2026
A Gourmet Cat Portrait Inspired by Dutch Still Life
Batou was a gourmet.
And, according to his owner, he had one thing in common with him above all: they both appreciated good food.
This memorial portrait was commissioned by Batou's owner in Switzerland as a way to remember him exactly as he had been in life: attentive, intelligent, particular about his food, and always very interested in what might appear on the table next.
Rather than creating a conventional memorial portrait, we built the entire scene around Batou's favourite things. The idea itself came from his owner, and my role was to develop and adapt that idea into something that would actually work as a composition: choosing how the food, the setting and Batou himself would come together on canvas.
He is surrounded by an elegant feast of the foods he loved: salmon, prawns, vanilla ice cream, yoghurt, meat and foie gras. But the challenge was to make the feast feel refined without making Batou look like some kind of aristocrat.
He was a gourmand, not a duke.
So the setting was designed to feel elegant yet warm and domestic, with the atmosphere of a beautiful classical painting but still the feeling of a home where a beloved cat might patiently wait for his next treat.
The visual language draws inspiration from elegant historical still-life painting, particularly the richly detailed compositions of Dutch masters such as Willem Kalf. The food, furniture and textures create a sense of abundance, while Batou remains the unmistakable centre of the scene.
His pose was especially important.
The portrait was assembled from several photographs to recreate the particular way Batou used to sit and wait while his owner was preparing food for him: perfectly focused, patiently watching, as though absolutely certain that the next bite was coming.
His large yellow-green eyes carry that concentration. They are one of the most recognisable features of the portrait, together with his distinctive tuxedo colouring. Batou was a tuxedo cat, but his markings were not generic. The exact shape and placement of his black-and-white patches were carefully preserved so that the painting would feel like Batou rather than simply a tuxedo cat.
There is also a small secret hidden in the composition.
Batou's paw print was incorporated into the scene as a subtle engraving on one of the drawers of the cabinet in the background. It is not meant to announce itself immediately. It is a detail his owner can discover and recognise, almost like a private signature left behind by Batou.
You can look at the painting for a while before noticing it.
That was intentional.
The finished 40×40 cm oil painting was created large enough to give all these elements room: Batou's expression, the individual markings of his coat, the food, the furniture and the tiny personal details that make the composition meaningful.
The result is a memorial portrait that remembers not only what Batou looked like, but who he was.
A cat with impeccable taste. A patient little gourmand. A companion with his own unmistakable character.
And, naturally, a cat who knew exactly what was supposed to be on the menu.
Artwork Summary
Subject: Batou
Breed: Tuxedo cat
Location: Switzerland
Size: 40×40 cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Occasion: Memorial pet portrait
Style: Elegant classical painting inspired by medieval and Dutch still-life traditions
Artistic reference: Dutch still-life master Willem Kalf
Concept: Batou surrounded by his favourite foods
Foods depicted: Salmon, prawns, vanilla ice cream, yoghurt, meat and foie gras
Personal details: Distinctive tuxedo markings and yellow-green eyes
Hidden detail: Batou's paw print incorporated as an engraved detail on the cabinet
Reference process: Multiple photographs combined to recreate Batou's characteristic pose and expression
A portrait that captures who they were, not just how they looked
A memorial portrait can preserve much more than a pet's appearance.
It can preserve their habits, their favourite things, their expressions, the objects they loved and even the little details that only their family would recognise.
For Batou, it was his love of food and the way he would sit patiently, watching and waiting for his owner to offer him something delicious.
Those details are what turn a portrait into a heirloom: a painting that does not simply remind you that your pet existed, but brings their personality back into the room. Commission a memorial portrait built around what made your cat or dog unmistakably themselves.
More space for detail, without becoming oversized
A great choice for a highly detailed single portrait, two pets, or a more elaborate composition with accessories, texture or background elements
True to life portrait, customised to your liking
Handmade oil painting
100% money back guarantee - adjust until it’s perfect, love it or get a refund
📦 Payment and delivery:
Worldwide shipping via DHL
You can pay only 10% now and the rest later, after you’ve received and approved photos and videos of the painting
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📐 Technical Details:
High-quality cotton canvas on a stretcher frame
Professional Windsor & Newton oil paints and Gamblin finish
Optional gold, silver, and bronze leaf accents
And by the way, oil paintings are proven to last for centuries.