Friday, August 7, 2015

Book:Fat Cat Art:Famous Masterpieces Improved by a Ginger Cat with Attitude by Svetlana Petrova and Zarathustra the Cat

Fat Cat Art by Svetlana Petrova, is a "marriage of runaway internet sensation and classical art."  (THINK Internet meme meets classical art). It features her twenty-two-pound, ginger-colored cat, Zarathustra (Petrova swears that Zarathustra does NOT eat a lot and IS on a diet), superimposed into some of the greatest artworks of all time. Petrova's paintings are an internet sensation!



INTRODUCTION FROM FAT CAT ART:

Our name is Zarathustra. We are a cat. We are so gracious in Our enjoyment of repasts. Much of Our postprandial time is dedicated to reflection upon lofty manners. One of our greatest sources of reflection is Arrrrt. (NOT A TYPO!). As well, one of OUR greatest passions is to sit for the great artists, as only great artists can appreciate Our generous body and sublime soul.

Through the centuries We have inhabited the great works of art (even if We were later painted over. We know not why). These great works of art reveal to humans what is real Beauty. In fact. We have served as Muse for most of the great masterpieces. This book tells Our story...

A smattering of the  eras  featured in Fat Cat Art:


  • Ancient World and Middle Ages
  • Italian Renaissance
  • Northern European Renaissance and the Sixteenth Century
  • Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century
  • Dutch Still Life in the Seventeenth Century


and many more!




FROM THE PUBLISHER:This beautiful, full-color book takes readers on a journey through art's history and varied roots. Each fat cat painting is coupled with a short commentary from Petrova, who lends her extensive knowledge and humorous zest to the masterpieces. Often insightful and always hilarious, this collection puts a new spin on the world's most famous artists and their beloved creations.

How Did Fat Cat Art Come to be?
Svetlana Petrova lives in St.Petersburg, Russia. She is a graduate of the Faculty of Philosophy of St.Petersburg State University. Not one who easily "fit into the system", she became an artist.

Petrova had been drawing and writing poetry from childhood, learning all that she knew from her mother (who was not a professional artist.), "but she was an artist in her soul."

Cats were always a part of Svetlana's life. Her family ALWAYS had cats.

Svetlana was an only child and her mother passed in 2008. Zarathustra was HER cat. Svetlana, honoring her mothers dying wish, adopted the handsome Zarathustra.

Petrova suffered immense depression when her mother passed and it was Zarathustra who saved her from that depression. Through the urging of a dear friend, she began creating art featuring "the best Cat in the world, " Zarathustra.

She wanted to incorporate him in the style of Dutch still-life paintings, (a photo session with food!!), so she began to photoshop him in one painting, then another, and another. She sent the paintings to friends to get their reaction.

American Gothic Behind Ameri-Cat Politics?
Grant Wood, American Gothic. I can has cheezburger?

 The rest is history!

"Petrova's work was featured in the spring 2014 British exhibition Russian Extremes-from Icons to I-Cats."

And Where Is the Russian Salad?
Adriaen van Utrecht, Still Life Improved by Cat, 1644

Zarathustra the Natural-Born Artist and Model:

"He knows hs is making art. Zarathustra adores posing when people are taking photos of him. He is always friendly to photographers. He knows who is a photographer and begins to flatter those people."

"He has a rich repertoire of mimicry and can make different expressive grimaces. The camera likes him."

"Despite having this star character, he is a very sensitive and tender Cat, a real gentleman, or better, a "gentlecat." Everybody who meets him is astonished and says that he is somebody special. He really is ten kilograms (twenty-two pounds) of pure undisturbed joy."

"From competing with Venus's sexy reclining pose (and almost knocking her off her chaise lounge in the process) in Titian's Venus of Urbino, to exhibiting complete disdain as he skirts away from God's pointing finger in Michelangelo's Creation of Adam, Zarathustra single-handedly (or single pawed-ly?), rewrites art history in the way that only an adorable fat cat can."

The Secret of Mona Lisa's Smile Revealed!
Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, true version
"Mona Lisa's smile is a mystery no more. She smiled because We were there. In fact, We challenge anyone with twenty-plus pounds of immeasurable grandeur on their lap to stifle a smile!"


Have I mentioned that I LOVE THIS BOOK? Fat Cat Art:Famous Masterpieces Improved by a Ginger Cat With Attitude by Svetlana Petrova and Zarathustra the Cat is MUCH MORE than the purrfect coffee table conversation piece that will impress your art history/feline loving  friends.


It is the ULTIMATE full-color collection of Svetlana Petrova's work, including several never-before-seen pieces, that you can savor for yourself, or give it as a gift to fellow cat loving friends!!

208 glossy pages
7"x7"
ISBN 978-0-399-17478-0
$16.95 USA
VISIT THE FAT CAT ART SHOP for prints and more!


AVAILABLE AT:

• BARNES & NOBLE      • INDIEBOUND

• BOOKS-A-MILLION            • AMAZON



ENTER TO WIN!! The publisher has generously offered to give THREE of our readers WHO RESIDE IN THE U.S.A (Our apologies to our International readers), the chance to win a copy of Fat Cat Art. (A $16.95 value). Entering is easy! Just enter on the Rafflecopter below. Good luck! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway












In full disclosure:Friends, it has been hard keeping this one under wraps. I have had this book of "classic art" gone cat for a number of months. I was holding it to feature closer to the publication date which was originally supposed to be September 15, 2015. I was not compensated for this review/give-away.

26 comments:

  1. We love the idea ! That sounds like a great book, good luck to our US friends ! Purrs

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  2. My human has been hearing about this book forever! Love the images.

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  3. MOL! We have seen images from this but didn't realize it was a book. What a fun idea!

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  4. I had seen the Mona Lisa painting with Zarathustra before, but had no idea who was the artist behind it. So, it's a big and pleasant surprise to find out that there are much more paintings with Zarathustra and that now they have turned into a book. This is going directly to my book wishlist :)

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  5. I love the Mona Lisa painting. I think the expression on the cat's face is priceless. :)

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  6. I have a copy of the Mona Lisa painting at my desk! Love it...no, I LURV it! Want the book!

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  7. Mes is still reading my emails, even though mes fishing and when mes saw that yous had one of my heros, mes had to comes and visits. Mes LOVES Svetlana and Zarathustra and mes just had to come and reads the post! Thanks yous Caren and Cody!
    Kisses and Fishes
    Nellie

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  8. A very clever idea and brilliantly created and executed!!!

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  9. That is such great art and what a great looking book. Also a very good review of the book.

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  10. OMC, this book looks wonderful! I cracked up with the "American Gothic" illustration ... the cat's pose made me laugh, and so did the cheeseburger on the pitchfork. We'd love to win it, so thank you for the chance to do so!

    Hugs!

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  11. I loved the book! I reposted it on
    https://orangemarmeladepress.wordpress.com/2015/08/07/cat-art/
    with a link back to you! Thanks for the inspiration!!

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    1. yes I just saw that. I left a comment correcting the link you used. It should be a link to the actual post http://www.catchatwithcarenandcody.com/2015/08/bookfat-cat-artfamous-masterpieces.html

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  12. I love the Mona Lisa picture! It is just up my alley cat. Why didn't I think of this?

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  13. How fun.

    Have a purrfect Feline Friday honey. Big hugs to you and tons of scritches to Cody. ♥♥♥

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  14. I've loved the prints so a book is brilliant. Pinned and Fb.

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  15. I have seen some of these before, I think in a national newspaper. I love them!

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  16. Wow, this is super interesting!
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

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  17. Mr. "Z" is a gorgeous and "wide-load" ginger boy! Love him.....of course we're partial to gingers around here but 20 lbs. is a BIG DUDE. The book is a cute idea.......bet it's full of fun!

    Hugs, Sammy

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  18. I loved that video :-)

    Have a meowtastic weekend :-)

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  19. Good luck to our lucky american friends.
    I love it, specially the one with the cheeseburger and the video.
    Bonne soirée
    Nat à Chat

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  20. everything goes better with Ginger cats!

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  21. MOL! That's too cute! It certainly made us smile so we're crossing our paws! Thanks for the opportunity!

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  22. That looks like a furry fun book to have here!! Exactly whatwe need to MOL about after meowmy has a hard shift...or to a-mews us while she is at work, MOL!!
    Thanks fur the chance to win a copy:)

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