11/01/2026
In 1936, a cat was photographed dressed as Brünnhilde, the Valkyrie warrior from Richard Wagner’s opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung. She wore a winged helmet and a shiny sequined breastplate, and stared at the camera with a look of complete indifference.
The photo, now held by the Library of Congress, has become one of the most beloved free-to-use images in its collection. The photographer was originally listed as unknown, but it has since been reportedly linked to Adolph Edward Weidhaas, who created animal portraits for advertising in New York.
In 2023, the Library digitized a second photo of the same cat from another angle, and the internet fell in love with her all over again.
Photo credit: Library of Congress