A boy teases a cat with a toy mouse in this delightful genre painting by Italian artist Luigi Bechi. Bechi belonged to the Italian school of peasant painters, finding his greatest inspiration with the local peasant children in Florence. Through a mastery of color and perspective, his canvases give a glimpse into the candid moments of youth and innocence in the day to day activities of his endearing subjects.

Born in Florence, Bechi fought in the Italian Wars for Independence from 1859 to 1866, eventually becoming wounded and taken prisoner in the Battle of Bezzecca. Upon his release, he began to study art at the Academy of Modern Art in Florence under the guidance of Giuseppe Bezzuoli and Enrico Polastrini, from whom he learned the use of color and the genre methodology, respectively. In 1870, his teachers vouched for his talent with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, earning Bechi a position as a professor at the prestigious school. Initially a painter of historical subjects, portraits and landscapes, Bechi later concentrated on genre scenes, with special attention given to his charming depictions of children.