Louis Eugene Lambert is famous for his paintings and drawings of cats and dogs and was therefore nicknamed "Lambert of the Cats". A student of Eugene Delacroix, Lambert became interested in art as a young boy. Later he became influenced by the Flemish School. He moved to Nohant where he became friends with the French author, George Sand.

His major success at the Paris Salon was Cat and Parakeet. In 1874, he painted the Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild with his dogs, and solidified his importance in the art world. Lambert was also an illustrator and drew the pictures in the Fables of La Fontaine.