De Sève's Cats

I just love stumbling on cats during my research. Recently, I was looking for a few 18th century engravings to illustrate one of my presentations when I came across these wonderful images. They were created by Jacques de Sève, one of the main illustrators for Buffon's Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière, avec la description du Cabinet du Roi. 

Source: 

• Sève, Jacques de. Figures pour l'histoire des quadrupèdes par M. de Buffon. Tome II. 1755-1758. 193 p. http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105279154

Le Chat sauvage [The Wild Cat] 

Le chat domestique [The Domestic Cat]

Le Chat d'Espagne [The Spanish (Calico) Cat]

Le Chat des Chartreux [The Chartreux Cat]

Le Chat d'Angora [The Angora Cat]

The Aberdeen Bestiary

Heads up for those who love illuminated manuscript! The University of Aberdeen has just digitized this beautiful bestiary. Check it out! http://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/

Academics with Cats

I can't believe I forgot to mention that there are "#twitterstorians" who regularly post images of their cats under the hashtag #academicswithcats. Yours truly is often there posting pictures of his own cats. Did I mention we now have a second cat since last year? Little Diderot!

Little Diderot jumped on my shoulder this morning, not wanting me to work on campus! #academicswithcats pic.twitter.com/T3lJRtevnx

— Joseph Gagné (@josgagne) September 26, 2016

It's Diderot's first birthday today! #AcademicsWithCats pic.twitter.com/op3AQpXYpS

— Joseph Gagné (@josgagne) September 10, 2016

Space Cats!

Stumbled on this bit of internet gold:

A Cat, by Wenceslaus Hollar

Nothing big for this post. I was simply googling an image reference to the 17th century Czech artist Wenceslaus Hollar when I stumbled on these feline-related engravings by him:

 

The Great Cat Massacre

I haven't read this book yet, but it is certainly on my reading list! Have any of you read it?

Poe doesn't care much for this book... #academicswithcats pic.twitter.com/te9RTv5uvk

— Joseph Gagné (@josgagne) August 22, 2016

A Feline Civil War Museum?

Article over at the Washington Post: There’s a museum for everything. Even Civil War battles — depicted by cats. Quoted: “We just don’t make clay people as well as cats”.

How convenient?