Today We, Zarathustra the Cat, would like to speak about Easter bunnies. Once, during Our visit to Albrecht Dürer’s workshop in 1502, We met an extraordinary rabbit (or, to say precisely, a hare), to whom We kindly helped to sit for the great artist.
Hares are “prey” animals in wild nature, which means they are trembling in fear if they think their lives are in danger, it can easily happen in unusual surroundings. The hare which Albrecht Dürer invited to pose, got extremely nervous, and the great master asked Us to comfort him.
Cats are the best medicine for bad mood and depression, so We warmed the hare with Our fluffy body and graciously let him shrink Our paw. The bunny relaxed, and thus Dürer got a chance to create this amazingly realistic, thoroughly detailed masterpiece:
Albrecht Dürer, Hare and Cat
Then the hare sat for Dürer but his own, he realized that it was no danger in the artist’s workshop. You may even see a reflection of windows of this place in bunny’s eyes.
The original version with the cat was lost in centuries, and only today We show it to the world.
That is why you may see only a hare alone at the wall of Albertina Gallery, Vienna, where you can find a painting created during later sessions.
Albrecht Dürer, Hare, from Albertina Gallery collection
Remember how vulnerable bunnies are, and never give rabbits as an Easter gift to children!
Living animals are not toys!
Happy Easter to everybody: humans, cats, and bunnies, and even dogs!
Thus speaks Zarathustra the Cat