Originally written for and published by Edition Cat

Louis Wain, the British artist who captured the hearts of millions with his flourishes of anthropomorphic felines, is experiencing a well-deserved renaissance. The 2021 film release of The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the troubled artist, as well as Kathryn Hughes’ marvellous book, Catland, released earlier this year, has renewed interest in the man who helped shape how we see and relate to cats today. As the owner of Cheshire & Wain, a luxury cat accessories brand inspired by his legacy, I’m continually drawn back to his life story – one sketched from creative brilliance, personal tragedy, and enduring artistic influence. 

In this special feature for Edition Cat, I wanted to share a brief insight into Louis Wain’s life and work, so you too can appreciate the brilliance of the man who was committed to elevating cats’ status in society from mere ‘mousers’ to the pets we love today.

Catland: Feline Enchantment and the Making of the Modern World by Kathryn Hughes available to purchase at Cheshire & Wain

Great expectations

Born in Victorian London in 1860, Louis Wain's life was touched by hardship from the start. The eldest child of six sisters in a family struggling to make ends meet, his childhood was marked by instability and financial insecurity. Despite these challenges, Wain’s artistic talent was evident from a young age. He studied at the prestigious West London School of Art, honing his skills and developing a keen eye for detail. He embarked on a career as an illustrator to support himself and his sisters, focusing on animals and pastoral scenes for The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. His first known depiction of cats was for The London Illustrated News in 1884 entitled Our Cats: A Domestic History.  

A pivotal chapter in Wain's life unfolded when he married Emily Richardson, his sisters' governess, in 1884. Their union, considered scandalous due to their seventeen-year age gap and Emily’s lower social standing, would’ve raised eyebrows in Victorian society and was certainly not welcomed by Wain’s unmarried sisters who relied on him financially. Sadly, their happiness was short-lived. Shortly after their marriage, Emily was diagnosed with breast cancer, casting a dark cloud over their lives. During these trying times, Wain discovered his muse, not on canvas but in the form of their beloved pet cat, Peter.

A new ‘meowdle’

Seeking to comfort his wife (and encouraged by her), Wain began to sketch Peter, his pencil capturing the cat's every whisker and playful pose. Initially intended as a private source of solace for Emily, these drawings marked the beginning of Wain’s lifelong fascination with feline subjects. As Wain suggests in an interview, “I trained Peter like a child, and he became my principal model and the pioneer of my success.” One collection that stands out for me is Peter and his nine lives. In his third life, poor Peter falls victim to some bad milk, and in his grand finale, Peter uses up all nine lives and finds himself in cat heaven, a paradise brimming with endless food and comfort.
His early cat illustrations, while charming, were relatively conventional, reflecting the naturalistic style prevalent at the time. However, as he delved deeper into the world of cats, something truly magical emerged in his work.
Fueled by love for Emily and a desire to bring joy into their shared life, Wain's feline subjects began escaping realism's confines. He dressed them in human attire, bestowing them with human-like qualities that resonated deeply with his audience; from attending grand balls in elegant gowns, playing in the sand at the beach to playing musical instruments at Christmas parties, Wain’s creations were often up to mischief, their expressive eyes reflecting a scampish intelligence that captivated viewers. With this, Wain’s unique vision of “Catland” was born.

 Some examples of Louis Wain's cats in Catland

Wain’s world

The public adored Wain’s world of cats. His illustrations and paintings captured charming scenes of feline folly appearing on postcards, in children’s books, and as advertisements for a wide range of products - from British train companies to tea brands and light bulbs. Wain became a household name, his popularity soaring alongside that of his feline subjects. He took inspiration for Catland from the world around him, “I take a sketchbook to a restaurant or other public place, and draw the people in their different positions as cats, getting as near to their human characteristics as possible. This gives me doubly nature, and these studies I think my best humorous work.”

Three Cats Performing a Song and Dance Act by Louis Wain

Despite human society being the reference for his feline tableaus, there is still the sense that we are looking at cats and not humans when observing his work. That is what I find so captivating and charming. Their giant eyes are unmistakably catlike and act as windows into a unique and magical world. The scenes he painted are often bright, flamboyant, and filled with frenetic energy - you can almost hear the hubbub and feel the atmosphere tumbling off the images.
His illustrations tapped into a growing societal affection for cats, who were increasingly more than mousers and working animals but cherished companions. This is not to say housecats didn’t exist before Wain. Who could forget Dr. Johnson’s oyster-loving Hodge and Edward Lear’s muse, Foss. But Wain certainly helped popularise this growing trend. 
As Wain’s fame grew, so did his artistic confidence. He drew inspiration from the burgeoning Art Nouveau movement, turning heads across the Channel, incorporating its signature fluid lines and organic forms into his work. His illustrations became more dynamic, his compositions bolder and more experimental. Yet, even as his career flourished, personal tragedy cast a shadow over his life. 

Cat Profile by Louis Wain

Illness and tragedy

Emily's death in 1887, just three years into their marriage, left Wain bereft. It is well-known that Wain struggled with his mental health and spent the latter part of his life in and out of mental institutions. He exhibited increasingly erratic behaviour and was seen by many as an eccentric recluse, his genius overshadowed by his perceived instability. Yet, he continued to paint, draw and experiment with rich colours and patterns. I like to think he found solace in Catland and a means of processing his grief and inner turmoil in the act of creation. You can’t help but wonder how Wain’s life might’ve been different with today’s understanding of mental illness and how to manage and treat it. 

Kaleidoscopic cats

Despite his illness, Wain’s creative spirit persevered, and his cats changed too. Some of his later work possesses a raw, almost hallucinatory beauty. His Kaleidoscope Cats, named for their intricate, fractal-like patterns and often vibrant, clashing colours, feel mesmerising, like faces appearing out of fireworks. Despite the legend that these psychedelic works portray the deterioration of Wain’s mental health as they grow more abstracted, they were falsely reordered to ‘prove’ the theories of a young psychiatrist of the time, Dr Walter Maclay. In fact, Wain produced many of these beautiful images alongside his more conventional works. 

Some examples of Louis Wain's kaleidoscopic cats 

An enduring legacy

More than just a talented illustrator, Wain directly influenced our culture with his work, painting and drawing over an estimated 150,000 pictures of cats during his career. His work arrived at a pivotal historical moment when the relationship between humans and animals underwent a profound shift. As cats transitioned from utilitarian mousers to beloved companions, Wain provided a visual language for this evolving relationship. His charming, all-too-human felines helped normalise the idea of cats as family members, worthy of our love, care, and, of course, our deep admiration. 

 

We pay homage to Wain in our Louis Wain collar collection inspired by his wide-eyed fantastical felines and the explosions of colour in his work. Our Catland-inspired photoshoot with photographer Rachel Oates features a hand-painted floral backdrop by artist Annabel Pearl.