This is humorously genre scene with two cats trying unsuccessfully to open a mousetrap. The painting was executed by good listed Belgian animale painter Eugène Remy Maes (Puurs 1849 - 1931 Kontich). He was the son of Ivo Guillaume Maes and Joanna Maria Maes. He was a student at the Academy in Brussels and became a painter of portraits, genre scenes and representations of animals. The animal representations include sheep, cattle, small cattle but mainly poultry such as chickens and cats , dogs.

For some paintings he worked with genre painters such as David Col, Gerard Portielje and Jan Portielje. He traded a large part of his production through the art dealers Albert D´Huyvetter and his son Albert junior.Maes sometimes used the pseudonyms Ermaes and Théo Van Sluys. The latter would have been the name of a family member.

Literature: P. & V. Berko (ed.), Dictionaire of Belgian and Dutch animal painters, Knokke (Ed. Berko), 1998.I. Bruynooghe, The oeuvre of Jan - Gerard - Edward Portielje, Roeselare (Crea), 2001; "General Artist´s Lexicon " by Thieme/Becker and Benezit. "Dictionary of painters, sculptors, decorators and etchers"(in French), Paris, 1999, online date base artnet and artprice.

Inscription: signed lower left.

Technique: oil on mahagony wood. Luxuriousy original period frame.

Measurements: unframed w. 15 3/4" xx h 9 7/8" (40 x 25 cm), framed w 26 1/3" x h 20 1/2" (67 x 52 cm).

Condition: in good condition.