This delightful picture shows a child struggling to decipher a word in a book he holds on his lap, while a faithful pet cat waits patiently at his feet. In Agasse's skillful treatment of each element of the composition
- portrait, animal and still-life - the picture stands as a superb example of the artist's work, the undisturbed state of the paint surface allowing one to fully appreciate the artist's draughtmanship.
The model for the child was Lionel Booth, the eldest son of George Booth from whom Agasse took lodgings in 1810. The Booth house at 4 Newman Street, off Oxford Street, London, was in the heart of an artistic quarter
with neighbours including Benjamin West, James Ward, George Dawe and Thomas Stothard. This was precisely the environment Agasse craved and, establishing a firm friendship with his landlord, he remained at the house
for twenty-five years.
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