Louis Wain...The Art of Cats
Louis William Wain was an illustrator of cats and writer of children’s stories. He studied at the West London School of Art before commencing his career as an art journalist. His passion for drawing cats began after he adopted ‘Peter’, a stray black and white kitten and a companion for his wife, Emily, diagnosed with breast cancer. Born in 1860 with a cleft palate, Louis Wain also suffered various illnesses as a child. His love of stories fuelled his imagination and creative side, and in time he would collect hundreds of books on art and science for inspiration. His cats exhibited “their human characteristics” and became popular in postcards, magazines, newspapers, and children's books.
Throughout time, cats have been depicted as musicians, royalty, kitchenhands, cricketers, tea-drinkers, plotters, mousers and many more. In the eyes of these creators their natures are cute, cunning, masterful, or even deadly. Depending on the region and the era, cats have been presented in very different ways. In Ancient Egypt they were thought to bring good luck, their bodies mummified and buried with their owners. The goddess Bastet, daughter of Sun God Ra, was depicted as a woman with the head of cat. In the Viking Age cats were associated with Freya, the goddess of love and fertility. In Japanese folklore they were said to bring good fortune. In medieval times they were often associated with witches and the Devil. The Renaissance period offered more realistic impressions by featuring them as gentle or playful companions. And today most cat owners will tell you they bring a sense of calm and often complete a home.
Cats have always been a part of my life. As a child, I dedicated poems to them when they died. My first short 'exercise-book' novel as a child of ten was “My life as a Cat”, and they have continued to sashay into many of my stories. If you're a ‘cat lady’ (or 'cat lord'), some notables would approve. Catherine the Great was attached to her Russian Blues. Andy Warhol was said to have lived with twenty-five cats. One of many cat painters, Pierre-Auguste Renoir features his cat ‘Grisette’ in his art. Freddie Mercury’s song ‘Delilah’ was dedicated to his tortoiseshell tabby. And Taylor Swift makes no secret that she’s a massive cat fan.
Emily Wain died only three years after marriage, and though Louis Wain's art was celebrated and published, there were further tragedies ahead for the eccentric, talented artist, and storyteller. After WWI, with a decline in demand for his work and a lack of business acumen he would go on to suffer poverty and a mental breakdown, said also to be linked to a head injury in a fall.
Wain was certified as insane and placed by his sisters into psychiatric care. He would continue drawing while a patient at Bethlem Royal Hospital. Later moving to Napsbury Hospital, he would develop his kaleidoscopic cats; the style would form a precursor to the psychedelic art of the 60s. He died in 1939 and though a mostly unfortunate end to his career, his beautiful anthropomorphic cats have endured.
Gemma Liviero
20 July 2024
References
Bethlem Museum of the Mind
https://museumofthemind.org.uk
Katz, Brigit. 'See Louis Wain's exuberant cat art at the hospital where he spent his later years.'
Hitchman, Simon. Lost in Catland: The Life of Louis Wain.
Art & Photos: Wikimedia Commons. Mary Evans Picture Library.
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