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.
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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