Balthus Cats & Girls @ MET

Warning:  The exhibit Balthus Cats & Girls has a disclaimer at the entrance:  "Some paintings maybe disturbing to some audiences."  Okay, I'm interested, I've never seen that before on any museum exhibit, EVER!  Balthus, a French painter of the 20th C, is known for his oil paintings of young, prepubescent girls & cats.  Heaven only knows what was shocking about Balthus' paintings from 1930-50's.  The young clothed girls captured on canvas looked disconnected or melancholy.  But erotically suggestive - I say NOT.  The docents leading a coven of women through the galleries suggested otherwise.  One docent commented "the girl on the sofa has her head thrown back in erotic ecstasy.  I thought the girl asleep.  The docent also pointed out "all the tables were pointed towards the young girls' genitalia."  "Hey Ladies," did you buy this drivel?  I assume docent hecklers would be frowned upon in this establishment. I thought the paintings lovely.  Balthus received no formal art training.  Wounded early in WWII, he moved with his family to unoccupied France.  There is a discernable transition in colors & scenes from the 30-'40's to the 50's; from sombre interior scenes to brightly colored paintings of women looking out on serene landscapes.  There were also large paintings of women fully nude.  These didn't fluster the guides.  However, one commented Balthus was "deprived of originality as he stole from several artists."  Now I'm shocked.  Hey Lady Docent, who made you an authority?  Note the humorous, colorful painting of a large smiling cat who has fishes flying from the water onto his plate.  The exhibit did not live up to its salacious hype.  It is merely a timeless exhibit of beautiful paintings by Balthus.