A 15th-century prayer book featuring an illustrated grey cat The Walters Museum
I have cousins in Maryland I enjoy seeing and they were here last summer for a visit. The last time I saw them in their natural habitat was as the COVID pandemic restrictions lifted and I drove down with family to preside at my aunt's long-delayed memorial service. She grew up in Canada and was a delight.
Alas, even though they couldn't be more gracious in inviting us to visit again, including to their lovely Chesapeake Bay summer home I can't imagine when we'll be there again because of the realities of a hostile America.
I would love to go to Baltimore right now to take in an exhibit at the Walters Museum called Paws on Parchment. As the title teases, it is about the various documents, some half a millenium old, with evidence that cats liked hanging around humans as the latter laboriously created hand-calligraphed prayer books and scripture portions. We can imagine the dismay of leaving a beautifully written page to dry in the scriptorium before moving on to the next, only to discover that one of the monastery felines had satisfied its curiosity by walking across it.
Cats were pets but they were also vital in controlling pests that could transmit diseases virulent enough to wipe out a community. So the relationship was probably love and hate and more love, despite the mishaps. Cats show up often in the artwork as well as on the page.
Not only is this a clever concept for this exhibit which includes an Islamic document, the organizers brought in kittens from a shelter as guests. This is whimsical genius!
Sigh. Will we be able to trust the leadership of our neighbours to the south sufficiently to feel comfortable travelling there at some point? It would be sad but not catastrophic if we can't.
In partnership with the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, four foster kittens visited the exhibition shortly after it opened. The Walters Museum
4 comments:
That's a museum I very likely would be attending in a few weeks, if it weren't for that lunatic finding new ways each day for the world to hate the US.
There is an annual writer's conference in the US(we reluctantly attended last year in LA, but it's only because we booked it before their election). This year, it's in Baltimore, and would be a much easier and cheaper trip. But no way, we have absolutely no desire to enter enemy territory.
My disgust for the US - and the unbelievable 40% who STILL support Trump - is so high, I am proud not to buy one item in the grocery store from the US. Canada first, then anywhere else in the world next - except the US. Way to go Trump...the damage you've caused....I'm going to stop, I'm starting to vent.
Yes Roger, so many of us are dismayed by the virus infecting the States yet there are millions who disagree with the slide toward fascism. I pray that sanity will be restored. I know that your feelings may be shaped by bitterness over the sad fate of the Steelers but only to a limited degree.
As a rebuttal, I will say the Steelers have made one positive step since losing(once again) their wildcard game. Now, the QB needs to go and the Steelers need to do a major rebuild. I'm happy to take their calls if they need any help. Go Bills Go.
So, both the Steelers and the Bills are no more, a sad state of affairs. While the Bills game was a thriller both teams will be doing their off-season soul-searching.
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