Long Island, 1952
There were very few subjects that photographer Walter Chandoha loved more than cats. For decades, the late photographer, who died in 2019 at 99 years old, captured felines with a remarkable sense of whimsy, humor, and, perhaps most of all, adoration. Next month, Damiani will publish a new book with dozens of these delightful images, all curated from Chandoha’s vast photographic archive.
As its title suggests, Family Cats from the Archive 1949–1962 mostly revolves around Chandoha’s own pets, including his very first feline muse: Loco. The gray kitten, which the photographer rescued in 1948 during a New York snowstorm, quickly transformed from domestic companion to creative influence, sparking Chandoha’s long fascination with cats of all stripes (literally). The paperback volume carefully traces that evolution, demonstrating how Chandoha’s signature wit and intimate compositions made him a pioneer of cat photography not only during his time, but in the present as well. A testament to his enduring popularity, Wired dubbed him the “godfather of cat photography” in 2015, lauding his work as a predecessor to iconic memes like Grumpy Cat and I Can Haz Cheeseburger.
“When I started taking pictures 70 plus years ago, it was film and heavy metal or even wooden cameras. Film was expensive and you had to know what you were doing with your equipment,” Chandoha mused in his interview with Wired, adding that he was pleased with how the Internet “made it possible for all cat owners to share their love of these wonderful animals.”
Family Cats from the Archive boasts plenty of photographs that, in our day and age, could’ve easily gone “viral.” One picture from 1950, for instance, depicts a white kitten with a black-tipped nose, its mouth widened into a grin. The cat’s smile is nearly toothless with the exception of its front fangs, which only adds to its overall charm. Another image features two white kitties, one of which is poised, as if aware of the camera’s presence, while the other appears to be caught in a yawn that almost looks intentional. Each scene evokes the essence of the cats and their individual personalities—but, at the same time, these moments are familiar, if not universal, to pet owners. The photographer’s whimsical work poses a rhetorical question: Who wouldn’t want to photograph their cat in the middle of playing, of yawning, of teasing irritation?
In Chandoha’s mind, cats were singular, a creature so distinct that, even once he began photographing dogs later in life, he remained uniquely smitten with felines. “[Cats] are more expressive than dogs,” he told artnet in 2015. “They get into more situations than dogs would ever dream of getting into and they vocalize so much differently. They have so much more variety in their postures.” That variety unquestionably emerges across Family Cats from the Archive, in which furry companions bat at their reflections in mirrors; hesitantly approach Chandoha’s camera; run alongside and chase one another; and, of course, snuggle, cuddle, and purr.
“Dogs are said to be man’s best friend, but cats are really attractive animals and appealing companions,” Chandoha remarked. “At least that’s what I think, and I’ve been around them long enough to know!”
It’s true—throughout his career, Chandoah accumulated a collection of more than 200,000 photographs, including some 90,000 images of cats in particular. In that way, Family Cats from the Archive celebrates not just a photographer’s oeuvre, but also the beloved creatures that inspired it.
Family Cats from the Archive is currently available for pre-order via Bookshop.org and Damiani’s website.
In the late photographer Walter Chandoha’s Family Cats from the Archive, the whimsy, humor, and singularity of cats are on full display.
New Jersey, 1960
Long Island, 1957
New York, 1950
Long Island, 1952
Long Island, 1952
Long Island, 1954
The book, which is forthcoming from Damiani, features dozens of black-and-white photographs from Chandoha’s kitten-filled archive, spanning 1949 to 1962.
Spread from “Walter Chandoha: Family Cats From the Archive 1949–1962,” published by Damiani Books. ($20.50 via Bookshop.org)
Spread from “Walter Chandoha: Family Cats From the Archive 1949–1962,” published by Damiani Books. ($20.50 via Bookshop.org)
“Walter Chandoha: Family Cats From the Archive 1949–1962,” published by Damiani Books. ($20.50 via Bookshop.org)
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My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Damiani Books.
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