Wain was born with a cleft lip, a birth defect resulting in developmental problems. His family had a history of illness, with his youngest sister admitted to an asylum at a young age. Louis Wain was born in 1860 in Clerkenwell, London, as the oldest of six children and the only male. Behind their cute (yet often weird) cat smiles, lies an unfortunate story of the artist. The cats and kittens portrayed by Wain are famous for their playful, happy nature. No wonder Wain’s drawings were chosen, if there is anyone to depict the trials and tribulations of teaching little kitten manners, Wain was a match made in heaven. Written by Caroline Hughes/Kari, it tells the story of a school for kitten manners. Two years later, in 1886, Wain was commissioned to illustrate a children’s book, Madame Tabby’s Establishment. Louis Wain, Our Cats: A Domestic History, 1884, Illustrated London News, London, UK. At 24 he sold his first cat drawing to Illustrated London News – a playful info-graphic on feline domestication. He specialized in drawing animal and country scenes and was often featured as an illustrator in popular science and news journals. Weeds & Wildflowers, Medium.Īlthough always sketching cats in random, anthropomorphic situations, Wain’s primary ambition was to become a press artist. Louis Wain with one of his cat companions, c.1930. Then All The Cats Joined And Sung The Chorus To Madame’s Satisfaction, 1886, Chris Beetles Gallery, London, UK. Louis Wain, Shortears Began And Sung A Solo. What secrets does the life of this cat aficionado hide? Let’s present the life story of Louis Wain and his weird cats. You may have also seen his name in articles about mental illnesses among artists. The story of Wain’s life was depicted in a biographical feature film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021), starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the main role. His quirky feline pictures were so popular that almost every household at the beginning of the 20th century had at least one poster by him. The British artist Louis Wain was a highly successful illustrator, mainly known for his humorous graphics of cats.
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