Portrait d’enfant dans un intérieur, by Louise-Adéone Drolling, circa 1830s

This is such a charming little painting, only sixteen by twelve and a half inches.  The muted color, the quality of light - maybe morning, maybe afternoon - and its lengthened shadows.  The slightly bored aspect of the child - despite the cropped hair, probably a girl - who holds a long cord that is attached to some sort of object lying on the floor.  The richly plumed hat tossed onto the chair; left there by the lady of the house?  And then the cat, sitting on the heavy base of the console table and gazing into the mirror.  At its own reflection or, most likely, back out at us, the way a cat will.