Bruno Liljefors, Sweden's most reknowned animal painter, painted this portrait of Rapp, the dog, and Johan, the cat, in 1886. It was probably a commissioned work of the pets at St. Katrinedal, an estate south of Gothenberg. Not usually known for portraying domesticated animals, Liljefors has captured the essence of these divergent beings: the sublime cat against the steadfast and wary dog. Here, influences of Impressionism and Japanese Art, acquired during his stay in France, are evident in the composition, palette and brushwork.

Liljefors' intrinsic understanding of the essence of life in the wild, linked with that of mankind, related to Darwin's theory of "phenomena of psychic naturalism." Ted Hedberg, in the International Studio Magazine of 1910 (vol. 42, p. 119-128), recounted a conversation with Liljefors in which he stated that "we generally regard animals in the way that an inhabitant of Mars suddenly transformed to this earth would regard human beings. He would only notice the different races, types, castes, and not the individuals. Neither do we see the animal individuals, but it is just these which I try to predict. I paint animal portraits."

The early mastery of Liljefors is seen in his ability to bring individuality and life to his subjects; his acute observations are translated into portrayals grounded in great techincal skills. This style later developed into one that is more Symbolist as Liljefors isolated himself to the Bullero Archepelago, where he became more aligned with nature.