Meet “Looty”: a Pekingese dog who was stolen by the British during the 1860 looting of China’s Old Summer Palace and gifted to Queen Victoria. Her arrival sparked a craze—with Pekingese dogs quickly becoming one of the most sought-after luxury items of the Edwardian Era.
I wrote @cnnstyle about her story and how the darker side of what she represents—British imperialism, racism and cultural appropriation—permeates to this day.
Give it a read & share (full link in bio). Big thank you to my editor @oscarbholland for taking such care and going down this rabbit hole with me!
•
•
•
•
#looty #oldsummerpalace #britishimperialism #imperialism #racism #britishmuseum #pekingese #dogsofinstagram #pekingeseofinstagram #luxury #luxurylifestyle #history #arthistory #cixi #luxurydog