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Louis Wain: The Man Who Drew Cats
Louis Wain, as the title of this book succinctly sums him up, was the man who drew cats. Indeed he is probably the most celebrated illustrator of cats of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This biography, first published in 1968 is now reissued with new colour plates and is extensively revised. Louis Wain discusses the artist's much imitated unique style. He specialised in the comic cat - cats drawn in human situations - or humans drawn as cats which amounts to much the same thing. As he himself wrote I take a sketch-book to a restaurant or other public place, and draw the people in their different position as cats, getting as near to their human characteristics as possible. Born in 1860 Wain became a household name for his cat illustrations in the 1890s. His popularity in Britain began to wain in the first decade of the twentieth century so he went to America for two years to try and regain his fortunes, but this was not wholly successful. Thereafter he declined and his behaviour began to change. In 1924 he was declared insane and eventually ended up in the asylum, Bethlem. His last years were spent in a hospital.This is an absorbing story of a very talented, but tormented man.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1968
About the author
Louis Wain
100 books22 followersLouis Wain was an English artist best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphised large-eyed cats and kittens.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 16, 2020
I’ve always loved Louis Wain’s cats – a gleam in their eye and a zest for life! Glamorous femme fatales or cheeky boys – he was one of the most prolific artists of his day as well.
This is the definitive biography of Louis Wain, one of the most celebrated, if not THE, most celebrated cat artists of all time. On first read he seems to have had a sad, almost tragic, life always short of money, sole breadwinner for the family and finally being admitted to a pauper asylum in Tooting, London in his ‘60’s after being declared insane.
And yet this was a man who brought, and continues to bring, joy to millions. As H G Wells once said ‘English cats that do not look and live like Louis Wain cats are ashamed of themselves.’ Louis Wain changed the status of cats in his lifetime. Instead of being regarded as mere mouse killing machines they began to be seen as having personalities and soon took on the mantle of being pampered pets. A Wain cat has a gleam in their eye and a smile on their face because in their world they go about just the same activities as we do but perhaps with more gusto.
Louis Wain was born in 1860 to William and Julie Wain and was their only surviving son. There were 5 sisters who were all destined to remain unmarried. After the death of his father Louis became the sole support for the family as they looked to him to provide. He was born with a harelip and the biography doesn’t say if there were any attempts to treat it. In his 20’s he concealed it under a fulsome moustache. The author states that he rarely attended school and I imagine that he was bullied because of the harelip. After a spell as an art teacher he embarked on a career as an artist and thought pf himself as a painter of dogs.
At 23 he married the family governess, Emily, who was 10 years his senior but after 3 years she died from breast cancer. Afterwards he returned home to the family who had disapproved of the marriage. But it had sown the seeds for his future career. When Emily became bedridden Louis bought a kitten which was named Peter in order to amuse her and keep her company and he began drawing Peter’s antics. No-one else in the family worked but two of the sisters were talented artists in their own right but suppressed their talents in favour of Louis.
Wain was, according to the biographer, always regarded as a bit ‘odd’ and eccentric but so was the rest of the family by the inhabitants of Westgate-on-Sea where they lived for some years. One of the sisters, Marie, was certified insane and died in an asylum. He was a terrible businessman, often selling the copyright to his pictures with publishers making money from them instead of him, and investing in disastrous ventures.
He often drew pictures in lieu of payment for bills and to amuse people as he was ambidextrous and could also produce mirror writing. But there became less demand for his work and in his ‘60’s he started to develop odd ideas in that he was full of electricity but even worse he became violent towards his sisters. Eventually they could no longer manage him and he was admitted to Springfield Hospital. in that he was full of electricity but even worse he became violent towards his sisters. Eventually they could no longer manage him and he was admitted to Springfield Hospital. This was where one day he was discovered drawing cats in a corridor. An appeal was launched in the Times and the then Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald became involved. Louis Wain was one of the most popular known artists of his day and was held in great affection. He was then transferred to Bethlem Royal Hospital and eventually to Napsbury. Ramsay McDonald continued to take an interest and arranged for the sisters to be granted Civil Pensions.
After being transferred to Napsbury where he lived until his death he was provided with art materials and began to display a use of pattern and colour that came from his family background. William Wain had been a textile rep and Julie had designed church embroideries. Some of these highly patterned and colourful creations have been called the ‘psychedelic’ cats and a sequence was created to illustrate the deterioration of Wain’s mind by a Dr Maclay. This has since been disproved.
Although Wain was diagnosed with schizophrenia it has been suggested that he may have suffered from Aspergers Syndrome.
I love these as they’re like a puzzle – find the cat! However, the sisters called it ‘wallpaper art’ but the paintings demonstrated that he had lost none of his skills.
This book is a thorough biography of Louis Wain who was a man of great talent and imagination. At least 3 generations of children grew up with his cats. It’s profusely illustrated with Wain’s work; drawings, naturalistic cat studies and full colour plates. These are worth the price of the book alone. I sensed Wain’s struggles in life in having to constantly make money and the pressure that he must have been under.
I love Louis Wain’s cats - always up to mischief or looking glamourous. This is a great book, sadly currently out of print, and an introduction to one of the most celebrated artists of cats.
This is the definitive biography of Louis Wain, one of the most celebrated, if not THE, most celebrated cat artists of all time. On first read he seems to have had a sad, almost tragic, life always short of money, sole breadwinner for the family and finally being admitted to a pauper asylum in Tooting, London in his ‘60’s after being declared insane.
And yet this was a man who brought, and continues to bring, joy to millions. As H G Wells once said ‘English cats that do not look and live like Louis Wain cats are ashamed of themselves.’ Louis Wain changed the status of cats in his lifetime. Instead of being regarded as mere mouse killing machines they began to be seen as having personalities and soon took on the mantle of being pampered pets. A Wain cat has a gleam in their eye and a smile on their face because in their world they go about just the same activities as we do but perhaps with more gusto.
Louis Wain was born in 1860 to William and Julie Wain and was their only surviving son. There were 5 sisters who were all destined to remain unmarried. After the death of his father Louis became the sole support for the family as they looked to him to provide. He was born with a harelip and the biography doesn’t say if there were any attempts to treat it. In his 20’s he concealed it under a fulsome moustache. The author states that he rarely attended school and I imagine that he was bullied because of the harelip. After a spell as an art teacher he embarked on a career as an artist and thought pf himself as a painter of dogs.
At 23 he married the family governess, Emily, who was 10 years his senior but after 3 years she died from breast cancer. Afterwards he returned home to the family who had disapproved of the marriage. But it had sown the seeds for his future career. When Emily became bedridden Louis bought a kitten which was named Peter in order to amuse her and keep her company and he began drawing Peter’s antics. No-one else in the family worked but two of the sisters were talented artists in their own right but suppressed their talents in favour of Louis.
Wain was, according to the biographer, always regarded as a bit ‘odd’ and eccentric but so was the rest of the family by the inhabitants of Westgate-on-Sea where they lived for some years. One of the sisters, Marie, was certified insane and died in an asylum. He was a terrible businessman, often selling the copyright to his pictures with publishers making money from them instead of him, and investing in disastrous ventures.
He often drew pictures in lieu of payment for bills and to amuse people as he was ambidextrous and could also produce mirror writing. But there became less demand for his work and in his ‘60’s he started to develop odd ideas in that he was full of electricity but even worse he became violent towards his sisters. Eventually they could no longer manage him and he was admitted to Springfield Hospital. in that he was full of electricity but even worse he became violent towards his sisters. Eventually they could no longer manage him and he was admitted to Springfield Hospital. This was where one day he was discovered drawing cats in a corridor. An appeal was launched in the Times and the then Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald became involved. Louis Wain was one of the most popular known artists of his day and was held in great affection. He was then transferred to Bethlem Royal Hospital and eventually to Napsbury. Ramsay McDonald continued to take an interest and arranged for the sisters to be granted Civil Pensions.
After being transferred to Napsbury where he lived until his death he was provided with art materials and began to display a use of pattern and colour that came from his family background. William Wain had been a textile rep and Julie had designed church embroideries. Some of these highly patterned and colourful creations have been called the ‘psychedelic’ cats and a sequence was created to illustrate the deterioration of Wain’s mind by a Dr Maclay. This has since been disproved.
Although Wain was diagnosed with schizophrenia it has been suggested that he may have suffered from Aspergers Syndrome.
I love these as they’re like a puzzle – find the cat! However, the sisters called it ‘wallpaper art’ but the paintings demonstrated that he had lost none of his skills.
This book is a thorough biography of Louis Wain who was a man of great talent and imagination. At least 3 generations of children grew up with his cats. It’s profusely illustrated with Wain’s work; drawings, naturalistic cat studies and full colour plates. These are worth the price of the book alone. I sensed Wain’s struggles in life in having to constantly make money and the pressure that he must have been under.
I love Louis Wain’s cats - always up to mischief or looking glamourous. This is a great book, sadly currently out of print, and an introduction to one of the most celebrated artists of cats.
January 18, 2022
This was a well documented account of the tragic life of the "cat artist" Louis Wain.
The book documents his life from beginning to end and is chock full of his art work which is so cool. As a cat lover, I was buzzing off this book.
Louis Wain's tale is so sad though, losing his wife to breast cancer early on in their marriage, his sister admitted to a mental asylum for an unknown condition (thought to be schizophrenia) and then himself ending up penniless and in a mental institution for a similarly suspected condition. What a life.
Highly interesting and well worth a read. Fantastic colour photographs of his work.
The book documents his life from beginning to end and is chock full of his art work which is so cool. As a cat lover, I was buzzing off this book.
Louis Wain's tale is so sad though, losing his wife to breast cancer early on in their marriage, his sister admitted to a mental asylum for an unknown condition (thought to be schizophrenia) and then himself ending up penniless and in a mental institution for a similarly suspected condition. What a life.
Highly interesting and well worth a read. Fantastic colour photographs of his work.
March 3, 2021
Nearly abandoned. Dull.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews