The Facts
On September 21, 2026, the J. Paul Getty Museum announced that its 18th-century porcelain cat statuette, known as Purrquoise, will be a featured guest on the second season of the museum's original podcast, "If Objects Could Talk." The cat, which was added to the Getty collection in 2024, was made in China between 1700 and 1750 and later mounted in France on a gilded bronze cushion and stool. It was originally owned by Madame de Pompadour at the Élysée Palace in Paris. Purrquoise was named through a social media contest and has become a celebrity, with merchandise including a plush keychain and silk scarf. The podcast gives objects in the collection the chance to tell their stories in their own words.
The Signal
The second season of "If Objects Could Talk" continues the Getty's strategy of using accessible, personality-driven content to engage broader audiences with its collection. Purrquoise's episode, which promises tales of travel across multiple continents and centuries, reflects the museum's effort to humanize historical artifacts and make them relevant to contemporary culture. The cat's popularity, including a playful rivalry with the Metropolitan Museum of Art's hippo statue William, underscores how museums are leveraging social media and merchandise to build brand affinity and attract younger visitors. For collectors, this approach signals a shift toward narrative-driven curation that can increase the cultural and market value of objects.
- People: Madame de Pompadour
- Museums: J. Paul Getty Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Locations: Los Angeles, Paris, New York
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