Japanese artist Tokuhiro Kawai's gorgeous oil paintings would look right at home in a museum dedicated to the noble art of the Renaissance, particularly if that museum were run by cats! Kawai's artwork features a lot of regal and inspired imagery, as well as cherubs and the distinct focus on nature found in such celebrated works, but some of Kawai's most interesting works put our feline friends as their centerpiece.

"Fantasy of a pet cat”

Kawai, who is represented by Tokyo Art Collection Gyokuei Gallery (Instagram, Home Page) seems to be inspired by an effort to revive storytelling through art despite a shift toward film and literature, as well some more classic imagery in art (saints, gods, noble warriors etc.) are less prevalent in modern society.

"Mutualism－Livelihood of cat－"

On Gyokuei Gallery's official website, he says Kawai says "“Human beings live their life carrying this kind of contradiction or unanswerable problems. By creating an original hero, I want to pursue the amusing trait of a mankind who exists with the desire to battle, and yet have contradictory behaviors."

Below are some the Kawai's cat-themed illustrations. For more of his beautiful artwork, be sure to follow his Instagram account.

"Hallucination of pet cats to be in contact"

"Bird and Actindia"

"fairies in the garden"

"Thinking thoughts smolder"