# Le chat, la balette et le petit lapin (The Cat, the Weasel, and the Rabbit)

**Martin Marvie** (French, 1713–1813)  
published 1756  
hand-colored etching

Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975.81.18. [The museum's record](https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.55527.html).

## About this work

Martin Marvie made this (published 1756), aged 43. It is now at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

### What you’re looking at

This is a painting of animals in front of a ruined structure. The painting features a cat, a weasel, and a small rabbit gathered on a patch of grass. The cat has its paw over the rabbit, with the weasel observing. They are in front of an ancient stone structure surrounded by vegetation. In the background are trees against a sky. The foreground has detailed foliage and flowers.

_Description from the National Gallery of Art._

### How it was made

- **Etching.** The artist draws with a needle through a waxy coating on a copper plate, and acid bites the exposed lines. The plate is then inked, wiped and printed under pressure, so the line keeps the freedom of drawing.
- **Hand-coloured.** Printed in black, then coloured by hand in watercolour, one sheet at a time.

### [Martin Marvie](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/martin-marvie)

French, 1713–1813

## Facts

- Type: Print
- The artist was 43
- Century: 18th century
- Subjects: Ruins, Rabbit, Cat, animal, Frame
- Colour: olive
- Rights: public domain (CC0 1.0); free to use for any purpose.

## Get it

- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/1577.jpg?dl=1
- Image: https://img.ochreeditions.com/a/1577/1920.jpg
- Giclée reproduction on Hahnemühle Photo Rag: 8 × 10 in $28; 11 × 14 in $38; 12 × 16 in $42; 16 × 20 in $56; 18 × 24 in $68; 20 × 30 in $86
- Framed reproduction: 8 × 10 in $78; 11 × 14 in $98; 12 × 16 in $108; 16 × 20 in $138; 18 × 24 in $164; 20 × 30 in $208
- Canvas reproduction: 8 × 10 in $58; 11 × 14 in $72; 12 × 16 in $79; 16 × 20 in $98; 18 × 24 in $118
- Print-ready file: 8 × 10 in $2; 11 × 14 in $2; 12 × 16 in $3; 16 × 20 in $3; 18 × 24 in $3; 20 × 30 in $5

Sizes stop where the museum's file would print below 150 pixels per inch. Everything sold is a reproduction, made to order. [Order a print](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/le-chat-la-balette-et-le-petit-lapin-the-cat-the-weasel-and-nga-55527).