Queen Victoria’s Pekingese, Looty, symbolizes luxury in Britain, sparking a cultural craze and imperial legacy.
In 1861, a captivating scene unfolded in a painting commissioned by Queen Victoria, featuring a Pekingese named Looty. Admired for her charming features, Looty, with a brutal past tied to the looting of Beijing’s Old Summer Palace, became a sought-after luxury item among Britain’s elite. The painting by German artist Frederick William Keyl depicted Looty on a cushion, introducing the toy breed to Britain and marking the beginning of a Pekingese craze.
Looty’s arrival in Britain, facilitated by Captain John Dunne, a participant in the palace’s sacking, triggered a frenzy among high society women. Between 1914 and 1962, the Pekingese reigned as the most popular toy breed in Britain. In the early 1900s, exorbitant amounts were spent on acquiring these dogs, reinforcing their status as symbols of luxury and exoticism. The Pekingese’s popularity was entwined with a broader fascination with Chinese arts and products, known as “Chinoiserie.”
Despite being bred for small stature and resembling lions, symbolic of strength in Buddhism, Pekes faced a decline in the latter half of the 20th century in Britain. Changing tastes, the association with luxury and old-fashioned attitudes contributed to their waning popularity. The once-fashionable breed struggled to maintain its appeal as modern perceptions of China evolved, challenging the romanticized vision associated with the Pekingese.
Looty, the iconic Pekingese, passed away in 1872, leaving a legacy entwined with the darker aspects of British imperialism and cultural appropriation. In recent times, discussions about Looty’s narrative have resurfaced, with a speculative novel and an NFT art project named after her. While Pekingese may have fallen out of fashion, Looty’s story persists, prompting reflection on the broader implications of imperial history and the ongoing discourse surrounding art repatriation.
