| With reference to his family he had 5 younger sisters | | | | a temporary move to the United States. He |
| and his father worked as a textile salesman and his | | | | produced strip cartoons for the New York American |
| mother designed Church fabrics and carpets. | | | | ( 1907-1910 ) and many other American comics, |
| Louis Wain studied and trained at The West London | | | | newspapers and magazines. |
| School of Art ( 1877- 1880 ) and remained as an | | | | In 1910 he returned to England and over the next |
| assistant teacher until he left in 1882. | | | | few years he continued to produce books and supply |
| After his Father's death in 1880 he had to support his | | | | pictures to various comics, newspapers and |
| mother and five younger sisters and soon after, his | | | | magazines. |
| sick wife Emily Richardson ( His youngest sister's | | | | He continued drawing fanciful cats for various |
| governess ) whom he had married in 1881. Shortly | | | | newspapers and comics near the end of the first |
| after he married her she contracted Breast cancer. | | | | world war. During this time in 1917 he was thinking of |
| He brought Emily a Kitten which they called Peter and | | | | experimenting in animation and the film was to be |
| to entertain her he started drawing Peter in | | | | called 'Pussyfoot'. Alas, he decided not to pursue this |
| humorous situations and poses. To help to support | | | | project and so the world lost the chance of a genius |
| his family he became a freelance itor (initially | | | | of comic cat art moving into animation. This year was |
| influenced by Caldecott and May) and in 1882 he | | | | a turning point in the history of Louis Wain's cats. His |
| joined the staff of The illustrated Sllustraporting and | | | | sister Caroline died and he fell off an Omnibus and hit |
| Dramatic News. He began to make his name with | | | | his head. |
| Dog drawings at various Dog Shows including the | | | | After he recovered from these set backs his cats |
| early British National Dog show at Crystal Palace in | | | | became more frenzied, surreal, jagged and pointy. |
| 1882 ( which later became known as Crufts ). During | | | | During 1917 he was also diagnosed as a schizophrenic |
| this time his wife encouraged him to send some of | | | | which alas, stayed with him for the rest of his life. |
| the humorous cat pictures of Peter to various | | | | During the onset of his disease at 57, Wain continued |
| Magazines and Newspapers which started to make | | | | to Paint, Draw and Sketch cats. |
| his reputation here in Britain and in America and | | | | In 1924 due to the economic climate and the slow |
| where his humorous cat pictures were seen in | | | | recovery of GB after WW1 Louis Wain Art became |
| Comics, newspapers and magazines. | | | | less popular and he fell into poverty when his mental |
| In 1884 he was commissioned to produce his funny | | | | health deteriorated and finally his family had him |
| cat pictures in the Christmas edition of the illustrated | | | | certified Insane and he was committed to a pauper |
| London news. These pictures were so successful | | | | ward at Springfield Hospital ( Previously Surrey |
| that his life would never be the same again. Alas, this | | | | County Asylum ) at Tooting, London. During 1925 he |
| was tinged with sadness as his wife died shortly | | | | was discovered by a visitor to the hospital painting |
| afterwards, but knowing that Louis Wain had | | | | his funny cat pictures. The visitor exclaimed that the |
| become a great success. | | | | artist pictures reminded him of Louis Wain's famous |
| In the period from 1880's up to the start of the first | | | | cats. Imagine his surprise when the Artist turned to |
| world war he ruled supreme in cat and animal humor | | | | the visitor and exclaimed he was indeed Louis Wain. |
| especially the 'Louis Wain Cat' which was recognized | | | | After the visitor told the world of Louis Wain's |
| worldwide. The Louis Wain cats appeared in Art | | | | hospitalization, his admirers started a campaign which |
| Prints, Comics, Newspapers, Books, Magazines, Post | | | | included prime minister Ramsey Macdonald, HG Wells |
| Cards and Annuals. The Wain cats are to be found in | | | | and King George who helped set up a foundation |
| every human activity - from playing golf and other | | | | which was set up to enable Wain to spend the last |
| sports, digging up roads, Playing music, Ascot | | | | few years of his life in comfort in private asylums |
| fashions, Driving cats plus lots more. | | | | including Bethlehem Hospital in a private room where |
| In 1886 he joined the staff of The Illustrated London | | | | his treatment continued. Some time in the late 1920's |
| News. He was the first illustrator to work consistently | | | | he was sent to Saint James Fields, Southwark where |
| within the convention of depicting clothed and | | | | he continued to paint and draw his cats. In 1930 he |
| standing animals. | | | | was transferred to Napsbury Hospital near Saint |
| His anthropomorphic vision of the world soon brought | | | | Albans where he continued to paint and sketch until |
| him fame and as a result he was elected President of | | | | the end of his days. Exhibitions of his work were held |
| the British National Cat Club in 1891. | | | | in London in 1931 and 1937. On 4th. July Louis Wain |
| In 1904 Louis Wain wrote a book entitled 'In Animal | | | | died at Napsbury hospital. He is buried at Saint Mary's |
| land with Louis Wain' which was a great success. | | | | Catholic Cemetery, Harrow Road, London NW10 ( |
| During 1907 he invested all his savings into various | | | | next to Kensal Green Cemetery, London ) in the |
| Ceramic's with pictures based on his funny cats and | | | | same burial plot as his 5 sisters and parents. |
| sent most of them to America. Alas, while crossing | | | | One of the famous quotes during his lifetime was by |
| the Atlantic the ship capsized and all Louis Wain | | | | HG Wells who said 'He invented a cat style, a cat |
| ceramics went to the bottom of the sea. Due to this | | | | society and a whole cat world'. |
| misfortune Louis Wain went bankrupt and decided to | | | | |