An Introduction to Louis Wain

Who was Louis Wain?
FAQ
Bibliography

Who was Louis Wain?

Louis Wain (1860-1939) was an English artist who was most famous for his drawings of cats. Although he was a household name at the turn of the century, his reputation subsequently diminished after his death until the late sixties when Rodney Dale's Louis Wain: The Man who Drew Cats was published. Since then, there has been some interest in Wain's art but not nearly to the extent that it deserves.

According to Dale, this was the information that was easily available on Wain when he started the research for his book:

He was born in 1860 and started to draw cats in his early twenties. By the turn of the century, his was a household name, for he had created the Louis Wain Cat, a special type of mischievous feline which found universal acclaim. But he was obsessed with drawing cats, and when the demand for them eventually diminished, he was not able to come to terms with the situation. He had heavy family commitments, but no one would buy his work—his only means of making a living. His mind failed and he was admitted in poverty to a mental hospital. After a time, he was "discovered" there, and a number of influential people set up a fund to enable him to spend the rest of his days in comfort. He died in 1939.

Of course, the above does not do justice to the tragic yet fascinating life of Louis Wain which was the reason that Dale wrote his book. It is essential reading for all Wainophiles.

Since Wain's death, the two main groups interested in his works are cat lovers and those interested in the art of schizophrenics. Wain is especially fascinating to those who study the art of the mentally ill because he had one main subject, cats, and there are examples of his art from both before and during his illness.

It would be sad, though, if he were merely treated as a curiosity—a popular artist of novelty cat pictures or a tormented soul worthy only of psychological study—since even his drawings from his time spent in asylums show great genius of both idea and execution.

I hope that these pages provide a chance for both those familiar with Wain's work to gain a greater appreciation of it and for those new to his works an initial exposure that will prompt them to learn more about him.

FAQ

People often email me about Louis Wain, especially about the value of his works and how to buy prints. If you are going to email me, please read the following first to see if your answers can be found below.

1. I have a print of Wain/postcard/original work by Wain. How much is it worth?

I have no idea. I am not an expert in the value of art works or prints but just a fan of Wain's works. I am not a postcard collector, so I have no idea what postcards should cost. I do know that postcards and prints often cost more in the US than the UK, as they are much more common in the UK.

I can tell you how much I've paid for prints and posters I own or have seen for sale (between £8 and £30, depending on rarity and whether it's contemporary or modern, though I know they can go higher even) and how much I've seen originals go for at the Summer Cat Show (usually 4 digits, in pounds), but I can't tell you how much what you have is worth. You'll need to go to a professional to have a true valuation done—you could probably get this done at a gallery specializing in illustration in a major city, or at least they'd have more idea who would do this.

The most common print I am asked about is one called "For what we are about to receive" and is an image of a row of cats at a table, praying over their food. I've added a scan of it to the gallery here. According to Rodney Dale, it is one of the most reproduced of Wain's works, which I believe, just based on how often I'm emailed about it. I have a feeling that as it's so common, it wouldn't be worth as much as other prints, but, again, I can't value it for you.

2. Where can I buy Wain prints/posters/merchandise?

The books listed below you should be able to find in bookstores. Although a few are out of print, they can often be found in discount or remaindered bookstores, as that's where I found many of them. The most recent edition of the Rodney Dale biography, Louis Wain: The Man Who Drew Cats, is still in print in the UK (hardback and papeperback editions).

As for prints and posters, I've also got some links to various retailers on my links page. I haven't ordered anything from these retailers, so I can't tell you what they are like. It's also relatively easy to find Wain prints in England--I've seen them at prints stores and cat shows--but they are much harder to find in the US. I never saw any for sale when I lived in the US, but that doesn't mean that they aren't out there.

A Wain Bibliography

This bibliography mentions books that either feature Louis Wain's art or provide biographical information or critical analysis of his works. If you have any suggestions for books that should be added to the list, please contact me and let me know about them. Thanks.

Allderidge, Patricia. The Cats of Louis Wain. Paris: Bibliothèque de l'Image, 2000.
A lovely collection of reproductions of Wain images. The introduction is translated into German and French.

Dale, Rodney. Cats in Books. London: The British Library; New York: Harry N. Abrahms, Inc., Publishers, 1997.
Only a small section on Wain, but cat lovers will appreciate this survey of cat illustrations throughout the years.

Dale, Rodney. Louis Wain: The Man Who Drew Cats. London: William Kimber, 1968.
The essential Wain biography. The original edition contains a section on Wain's illness by Dr. D.L. Davies. Also an updated version with colour prints by Michael O'Mara/Chris Beetles in 1991, reprinted in 2000 by Chris Beetles. The reprint comes in three editions: hardback, paperback, and a leather-bound edition signed by the author.

Head, Honor. The Artful Kitten: A Tribute, with 60 Portraits. Philadelphia: Courage Books, 1993.
Lots of pretty pictures of kittens, some by Wain. There isn't much information in this book, but it looks lovely, and you can find it in the clearance section at Borders for around $5.

Read, Brian. Louis Wain. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1972.
A monograph on Wain, published to coincide with an exhibition of his works. It is the only critical work on Wain's art that I have been able to find so far. Interesting, but often marred by an attempt to read too much into his works. This provides, though, a pleasant change from most superficial treatments of his art.

Silvester, John and Anne Mobbs. A Catland Companion: Classic Cats by Louis Wain & Many Others. New York: Crescent Books, 1991.
Lots of pictures by Wain and other cat artists from the turn of the century. It provides some information on the works but unfortunately not enough to do further research.

Wain, Louis. Catland. Introduced by Rodney Dale. Leicester: Magma Books, 1995. A reprint, originally published by Duckworth in 1978.
A good cross-section of the works of Wain, plus a decent introduction to his life and works by Dale.

Wain, Louis. Louis Wain's Cats. Compiled and introduced by Michael Parkin. London: Thames and Hudson, Ltd., 1983.
Lots of pretty pictures, but not much information on them. There's an average biographical sketch at the end.