This is another of those posts where I recommend you hasten to the link.
Back in its number 30 issue for Summer 2008, Cabinet magazine included an article on the "Auspicious Cats" of Siam. Turns out that when the breed we now call Siamese came to British shores from Thailand, it was thought to be the royal cat of special significance, but that was wrong. As it happened the Thai like cats in general, and there are sets of superstitions and auspices attached to various breeds.
The article includes works from one of the illuminated manuscripts written at the time. There I learned of the Singha Sep (the Black Lion), the charming cloudy gray Dork Lao (Lao Flower), and to my joy the copper-colored cat called Suphalak, which means excellence, and of course it does.
Please do have a look at the article and enjoy.
About Me
- curator
- Washington, United States
- loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !
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