The British painter Louis William Wain achieved worldwide fame through his depictions of cats, which were highly humanized in both appearance and behavior. But even in his childhood he did not have it easy. His father was a British textile merchant and his mother came from France. He was the eldest of six siblings and the only son. Wain was born with a cleft lip. The doctors advised his parents to send him to school a little later than usual. At the age of 17 he finally went to the West London School of Arts. He attended art school for three years. In the same year his father died, making Wain the head of the household for his mother and sisters and providing for their financial needs. He was accepted as a teacher at the West London School of Arts. But Wain did not want to teach, he dreamed of being able to live as a free artist. So he gave up the teaching profession after only two years. He started to work for various illustrated magazines, his speciality being the drawing of animals.
Louis Wain fell in love at the age of 23 with Emily Richardson, the governess of his younger sisters. It was a scandal for the time, because she was ten years older than him. Emily contracted breast cancer soon after the wedding. It was during this time that Wain found his calling and the trademark of his career. The couple had taken in a stray tomcat and named her Peter. The tomcat comforted the sick Emily. Wain was so happy about this picture that he made countless drawings of the tomcat. His wife Emily encouraged him to publish these sketches. So the first cat picture of Wain was published in the Illustrated London News in 1886. At that time the cats behaved already partly human, but they still walked on their four paws and did not wear clothes. These characteristics were added over the years.
Over the next 30 years, Wain was extremely productive. He drew the ideas for his pictures from life. He always had a sketchbook with him to record observations he made in a restaurant, café or park. Although his drawings were extremely popular, Wain often had financial difficulties. He had to take care of his mother and sisters and also had no business sense. At the age of 64, his sisters had him committed to the poorhouse because he became violent. A year later, however, at the urging of prominent figures such as HG Wells and the then British Prime Minister, a transfer to better accommodation was pushed through. Wain spent the last 15 years in the asylum. He painted many more cat pictures as part of his therapy. Some psychiatrists interpreted Wain's drawings as signs of schizophrenia, others believed he suffered from Asperger's syndrome.
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 - (MeisterDrucke-153135).jpg "Cat in a Rainbow by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cat")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-964600).jpg "Cat study by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Two Cats Hugging Each Other, c.1910 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Ginger Tom by Louis Wain")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-197905).jpg "The Monocle by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Kaleidoscope Cats: Cat Pattern on Blue by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Top Cat! by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "A Cat in a Sea of Flowers by Louis Wain")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-372288).jpg "Reconciliation by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cat Stalking by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Love at First Sight, c.1902-10 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Two Cats in a Bathtub While Two Mice Play with a Bar of Soap, c.1880 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Kaleidoscope Cats: Cat Pattern on Green by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "A Cat with her Kittens by Louis Wain")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-148357).jpg "The Modern")
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.jpg "A Head Study of a Tabby Cat by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Bedtime by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "We enjoy the good weather. Animals in human posture. Sea bathing of cats on vacation. Postcard. Chromolithograph by Louis Wain, early 20th century. Private collection by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Black Cats in the Snow by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "I")
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.jpg "Taking Shelter by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Pals by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Apples Falling on Two Cats at a Picnic, c.1880 by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-192871).jpg "Cat in Holly by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Animals in human posture. Cat in kimono drinking tea in a Japanese garden. Postcard. Chromolithograph by Louis Wain, early 20th century. Private collection by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "We enjoy the good weather. Animals in human posture. Cat as jockey being weighed on a scale. Postcard. Chromolithograph by Louis Wain, early 20th century. Private collection by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cat Playing a Guitar with Three Other Cats and a Kitten, c.1910 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "A Print of a Cat")
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.jpg "The Morning Bath. Animals in Human Posture. Cats Taking a Bath in a Basin. Postcard. Chromolithograph by Louis Wain (1860-1939), English artist known for his representation of cats with large eyes. Early 20th century. by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Mother Cat with Fan and Two Kittens by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Kittens Cowering in Fear at the Sight of a Cat Dressed as Father Christmas, c.1880 by Louis Wain")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-257375).jpg "Pussy by Louis Wain")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-286202).jpg "Cheeky Mouse! by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "The Naughty Puss, Postcard, 1960s by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "The Bride and Groom by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Four Cats Wearing Human Clothes Around a Piano, c.1910 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cat Playing the Piano and Others Singing, c.1910 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats Playing with Boxes in a Room by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Two Cats Hugging Each Other, c.1910 by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1629927).jpg "Master of Cat College by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats playing with boxes in a room by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cat and Her Kittens by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1629254).jpg "The Flirt with the Fan by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-311670).jpg "The Mewsical Family by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Top Cat! by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats in Various Automobiles by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "The British Workman – The Eight Hours Movement by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats in a Garden by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Sketches at Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, with Miltons Cottage by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Moonlight Sonata, c.1900-10 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "It")
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.jpg "A Pensive Look by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Two Affectionate Cats, c.1910 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "A Group of Porcelain Vases Shaped as Stylised Animals by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cat Club by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Holiday Time by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "In the Wrong Class by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats Preparing for a Picnic by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats Bathing in the Sea by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "By Road and Rail in Catland by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1111369).jpg "Diabolo - Not as easy as it looks by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Flowers for the Duchess by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats Fencing by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Socialism, from p.46, Louis Wain Annual by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Christmas Cat by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats Playing Cricket by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Promenading Cats by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats Christmas by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "A Kitten Hiding in a Rose Bush by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cat-astrophe! by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Two Cats, One Taking a Tumble and the Other Looking Startled, c.1880 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Even Baby Plays It. Animals in Human Posture. Kitten Playing with a Diabolo in its Cradle. Postcard. Chromolithograph by Louis Wain (1860-1939), English artist known for his representation of cats with large eyes. Early 20th century. by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "The Acrobats by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats in a boat by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Holed in One, c.1905 by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "The Burglar, from p. 72, Louis Wain Annual by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Cats Cavorting by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Seaside Joys by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1132501).jpg "We Have Some Jolly Larks by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1108444).jpg "A Tea Party at Napsbury by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1629851).jpg "Let Me Think by Louis Wain")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1111368).jpg "A Class Outing by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "Jacksons Hats & Boots by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "The Holiday Train by Louis Wain")
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.jpg "A Cat Fishing with a Rod by Louis Wain")
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