Persians were the first longhaired cats to arrive in Europe, brought from Persia (modern Iran) to Italy in the 1620s by a traveler named Pietro della Valle. They caused a sensation. Four centuries later, they still act like they own every room they walk into.
Which, in fairness, they usually do.
That Coat in Painted Light
The Persian's coat is a portrait artist's dream and challenge at the same time. All that flowing fur, silky, dense, sometimes reaching 15 cm in length, catches light in complex ways. Under warm side-lighting, the coat becomes a cascade of highlights and soft shadows that no short-haired breed can match.
White Persians are particularly interesting. The coat becomes a study in warm and cool whites. Silver Persians have a shimmering quality. And the chinchilla Persians, with their dark-tipped silver fur, practically glow against a dark classical background.
The Flat Face Does Something Special
The Persian's brachycephalic face creates an unusual lighting situation. Front light hits the face evenly, with no long muzzle casting shadows. The result is a soft, almost glowing quality, the opposite of the sharp angles you get with a German Shepherd or Siamese. The large, round eyes become the entire focal point.
Those eyes are usually copper or deep gold. In a warm classical palette, they disappear into the surrounding tones in the best possible way, melting into the composition rather than fighting it.
Brigitte Approves (Reluctantly)
Our studio cat Brigitte is not a Persian, but she has that same look of permanent mild disappointment. We think it's a cat universal. It translates beautifully to portraiture.
See your Persian at getnobly.com. Free preview, free shipping on all prints.
