Portrait of a Not-So-Respectable Lady Cat | Xue Wang

In The Cat Collector, Xue Wang once again blurs the line between refinement and the macabre, creating a scene that is as elegant as it is unsettling.

A poised lady in ornate Victorian attire stands proudly, her composure immaculate — yet atop her hat rests a delicate cat skull, turning beauty into quiet rebellion. With this subtle, haunting detail, Wang explores the themes of life, death, and vanity, transforming the genteel traditions of portraiture into a reflection on mortality and obsession.

Rendered in her signature vintage-surrealist style, Wang’s meticulous brushwork and nostalgic palette evoke the atmosphere of a bygone era — while her dark humour and narrative edge keep the work distinctly modern.