The five pictures are by victorian artist louis wain who painted cats through the whole of his life and continued through periods of intense psychosis. Louis wain was a british artist best known for his bizarre paintings and prints of anthropomorphized cats playing golf or having tea. The works of english artist louis wain, whose representations of cats was supposedly said to have shown his descent into the grip of schizophrenia. Louis wain 5 august 1860 4 july 1939 was an english artist best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphised largeeyed cats. Louis wain was born into a working class family in victorian england in 1860. Louis wain 5 august 1860 4 july 1939 was an english artist best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphised largeeyed cats and kittens. Louis wain 1860 1939 was a wellknown artist who was famous for his anthropomorphic cartoons and paintings of cats. There has been some controversy surrounding louis wains development of schizophrenia. Aug 10, 2006 shows paintings by louis wain as he progresses downhill into fullblown schizophrenia. At the age of 20, wain was left to support his mother and his five sisters after his fathers death. Louis wain 18601939, when a cats single he lives at ease, original watercolour and pencil, signed lower right, with titled slip, in a giltwood frame, glazed, verso, on the back board, 50 x 38cm approx, old christies stencil number to rear, private collection ownership london. Louis wain an english artist known for his drawings that usually featured cats. In 1917, at the age of 57, wain was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Aug 15, 20 louis wain 1860 1939 was an english artist best known for his drawings of anthropomorphised cats.
The psychedelic madness of louis wains cats dangerous minds. Afterlife evidence international foundation for survival. Louis wain was an english illustrator best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphised largeeyed cats and kittens around turning of the 20th century. Jul 03, 2018 louis wain 5 august 1860 4 july 1939 was an english artist and diagnosed schizophrenic who made a name from drawing selfconscious, trippy and anthropomorphic cats and kittens. Louis william wain paintings for sale louis william wain. Wains cats have seen renewed popularity, as much for their quality as for the legendary madness of the man who made them. In his later life, wain developed schizophrenia, which psychiatrists speculated at the time was brought on by toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection. The book stoked new interest in the artists work, but it also challenged what had essentially become wains. Louis wain was a british artist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, best known for his whimsical and chaotic drawings of cats. Sep 26, 2007 the five pictures are by victorian artist louis wain who painted cats through the whole of his life and continued through periods of intense psychosis almost every article on wain uses them to demonstrate the progression of schizophrenia but the evidence for them being painted in chronological order is actually quite weak. The man who drew cats, first published in 1968, reissued in 1991, and then in 2000. His ability to depict them in such a realistic manner earned him a reputation as the raphael of cats. How a mental disorder opened up an invisible world of colour and.
Louis william wain british, 1860 1939 the lucky bully bulldog, c. In his later years he may have suffered from schizophrenia although this claim is widely disputed among many specialists if this is true or not, which, according to some. Perhaps the best loved illustrator of comic cats of the twentieth century. Louis wain 1860 1939 was an english artist best known for his drawings of anthropomorphised cats. Day thirtyeight louis wain cat man day of the artist. The colorful, dancing, psychedelic cats of louis wain artsy.
Louis wain the mind of a schizophrenic fractal enlightenment. Shows paintings by louis wain as he progresses downhill into fullblown schizophrenia. The man who drew cats, who has criticised the belief that the paintings can be used as an example of wains deteriorating mental health. After the first world war, the publics interest in cats diminished, and wain reached a personal crisis, falling into poverty and being affected by schizophrenia when he was 57 years old. Louis wain was born on 5 august 1860 clerkenwell in london. Louis wain 5 august 1860 july 4, 1939 was an english artist best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphised largeeyed cats and kittens.
In his later years he may have suffered from schizophrenia although this claim is disputed among specialists, which, according to some psychiatrists, can be seen in his works. Mar 27, 2018 from an early age, the artist suffered from both physical and mental trauma that included recurring nightmares and visions of extraordinary complexity, according to wain himself. Cats in the 19th century part 7cats in artlouis wain. This is said to be possible through the exposure to toxoplasmosis, which is an infection created by. Wains strange and wonderful paintings have led to considerable speculation over their genesiswith the oftcited suggestion these pictures show wains gradual psychosis and descent into schizophrenia. His cats are often humorous, but theres a sad story why louis began drawing cats. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading louis wain. In his later years he may have suffered from schizophrenia although this claim is disputed, which, according to some psychiatrists, can be seen in his works. Louis wain was one of the most popular commercial illustrators in the history of england. Louis wain was born in london in 1860, the eldest child of william, a textile traveller, and felicia, a designer of carpets. Louis wains paintings are often used to show the progression of. In christmas 1903, you could buy new louis wain books.
Born in 1860 wain became a household name for his cat illustrations in the i recently discovered louis wain. Louis wains cats by louis wain goodreads share book. A popular childrens book illustrator in his native switzerland, hartung is possibly best known for the postcards he illustrated for. His pictures are widely available today as decorative motifs and popular prints, but in his day, the man dubbed the hogarth of cat life was a celebrity who sold thousands of drawings and paintings to an insatiable public. As a child he was regarded as physically weak, not starting school until the age of 10 where his academic performance was indifferent, and from which he played truant frequently.
Wain was a prolific artist over the next thirty years, sometimes producing as many as several hundred drawings a year. In his later life, wain developed schizophrenia, which psychiatrists speculated at the time was brought on by toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that. The work of louis wain, who lived between 1860 and 1939, is frequently held up as an example of the progression of schizophrenia, and the effects. The cat man 85 reproductions kindle edition by ankele, daniel, denise ankele, louis wain. The first comprehensive exhibition of wains work was held at the. He ultimately attended the west london school of art thankfully for us, who. Though it is believed that louis wain s paintings followed a direct line towards schizophrenia, it is actually not known in which order wain painted his pictures. But demand for the louis wain cat diminished, and poverty followed. Louis wain 5 august 1860 4 july 1939 was an english artist and diagnosed schizophrenic who made a name from drawing selfconscious, trippy and anthropomorphic cats and kittens. Wain was the only boy in a household of five sisters where he remained until the age of 23 when he married his sisters governess, emily richardson. The cats and kittens are depicted with large, wide eyes, often with crazy, spiky fur. The schizophrenic psychadelic art of louis wain mayhem. This year we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the death of that famous cat artist, louis wain. In 1886, wains first drawing of anthropomorphised cats was published in the christmas issue of the illustrated london news, titled a kittens christmas party.
Not englands most lauded artist, certainlythere are no works by him in the national gallery, for examplebut between 1895 and 1905 some forty books illustrated by wain appeared on the market, alongside hundreds of postcards, miniatures, mementos, and keepsakes. Interesting, louis wain, victorian england, schizophrenia, hindu gods, h. He illustrated about one hundred childrens books, and his work appeared in papers, journals, and magazines, including the louis wain annual, which ran from 1901 to 1915. In his later years he may have suffered from schizophrenia although this claim is disputed among specialists, which, according to some psychiatrist s, can be seen in. The life and cats of louis wain world collectors net. Please read a bit about louis wains life first, and then continue to the bottom to. Gertz cat lovers have something to purr about with the release of louis wains cats, a new book on the celebrated cat art. On exhibit there at the chris beetles gallery until september will be the work of cat artist louis wain, who died in 1939.
Louis wain s most popular book is louis wain s cats. Dec 22, 2011 the work of louis wain, who lived between 1860 and 1939, is frequently held up as an example of the progression of schizophrenia, and the effects of the disorder on the perceptions of an artist. Louis wain 5 august 1860 4 july 1939 was an english artist best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphized largeeyed cats and kittens. Louis william wain 5 august 1860 4 july 1939 was an english artist best known for his. It is therefore appropriate to reflect briefly on his life, his art, and in particular the rather controversial nature of his mental illness. Before cat memes, there were louis wains controversial cat. The cat man art book contains a wonderful selection of his work, mostly cats.
Rodney dale, an author of books on science and technology, became fascinated with louis wain in the late 1960s, and researched and wrote the first full bio on the artist, louis wain. Before cat memes, there were louis wains controversial. How a mental disorder opened up an invisible world of. Born in 1860, his anthropomorphic portrayals of cats captured the imagination of the edwardian era and his work helped to elevate the profile and popularity of our feline friends to unprecedented heights. Michael fitzgerald disputes the claim of schizophrenia, indicating wain more than likely had asperger syndrome as. Wain suffered from schizophrenia and possibly aspergers syndrome. Louis wain 5 august 1860 july 4 1939 was an english artist best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphised largeeyed cat s and kittens. The english artist louis wains 18601939, depictions of cats in art during the victorian era caused their popularity to rise to a height not known since they were first worshipped as the goddess bast. Louis wain was a british artist in the late 19th and early 20th. Learn about the artist and find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks, the latest news, and sold auction prices. An indepth biographical study, rare essays by and about wain, and 60 of his bestloved illustrations make this a musthave for fans of the cult cat artistwith a wealth of wains most famous drawings, as well as rare writings by and about the artist, this is an ideal book for both wain fans and. This week the rumpus will be in yorkshire, england. After an unremarkable stint as a musician, but knowing he was destined to become an artist, wain shifted to painting and illustration in his early twenties.
Apr 04, 2012 louis wain 1860 1939 was a wellknown artist who was famous for his anthropomorphic cartoons and paintings of cats. Book includes table of contents, thumbnail gallery and is formatted for all kindle readers and tablets use rotate andor zoom feature on landscapehorizontal images for optimal. For a brief period at the end of the nineteenth century, louis wain was arguably englands most reproduced artist. In 1910, routledge published two cats at large, a book of surprises, by louis wain, with verses by s. As his disease progressed, his art style began to change. The cats and kittens are depicted with large, wide eyes, often with crazy, spiky fur, and with psychedelic patterns and backgrounds. If youve come across any of wains art, you know its memorable. Like his finances, wains mental state was erratic throughout his life, which may explain the changes back and forth between the cute and cuddly and the abstract and psychedelic. Louis wain artwork postcard christmas cats at the play an exciting century artist louis wains depictions of cats became increasingly psychedelic as he grew older. Oct 29, 2014 wains strange and wonderful paintings have led to considerable speculation over their genesiswith the oftcited suggestion these pictures show wains gradual psychosis and descent into schizophrenia. In his later years he suffered from schizophrenia, which, according to some psychologist s, can be seen in his works. Wain soon quit his teaching position to become a freelance artist, and in this role he achieved substantial.
Another swiss artist who loved cats was eugen hartung 18971973. Schizophrenia runs in the family, and there is evidence to show that wain exhibited schizophrenia behavior decades before he was diagnosed, says harry boxer, a dealer of outsider and visionary art through his eponymous gallery. His quest culminated in the 1968 publication of louis wain. Louis william wain 5 august 1860 4 july 1939 was an english artist best known for his drawings, which consistently featured anthropomorphized largeeyed cats and kittens. How a mental disorder opened up an invisible world of colour. His success found his artwork in magazines, childrens books. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Of particular note, fitzgerald indicates that while wains art takes on a more abstract nature as he grew older, his technique and skill as a painter did not diminish as one would expect from a. Artist louis wain was obsessed with cats and suffered from schizophrenia see more. Louis wain was elected as president of the national cat club and wrote the book in animal land with louis wain in 1904. In his later life, wain developed schizophrenia, which psychiatrists speculated at the time was brought on by toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that can be contracted from cats.
In his later years he may have suffered from schizophrenia although this. This claim has been refuted by rodney dale, author of louis wain. Following this period, louis studied at the west london school of art and eventually became a teacher there for a short period. Louis wainthree cats, one dressed in red coat with hood father christmas makes presents in series 5226 by ettlinger. The story of louis wain, a man whose cat paintings show the progression of his schizophrenia 90 more. Focusing more and more on patterns, wains drawings of. One of the more colorful wain titles, very scarce, with oclc recording only three copies in institutional holdings worldwide. In his later years he suffered from schizophrenia, which, according to some psychologist s, can be seen in his works life and work.
Artist louis wain was obsessed with cats and suffered from schizophrenia. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. It is a common notion that his early work seems to be a representation of his preschizophrenic period. However, despite wains art appearing in several psychology text books in. In his later years he suffered from schizophrenia, which, according to some psychologists, can be seen in his works. Schizophrenic artist obsessed with cats sam woolfe. Almost every article on wain uses them to demonstrate the progression of schizophrenia but the evidence for them being painted in chronological order is actually quite weak. It is a matter of fierce debate whether wains later schizophrenia may have been. The british artist louis wain was a highly successful illustrator whose reputation was made on his singular and gently humorous pictures of. Some researchers have suggested that it is possible that louis wain contracted schizophrenia as opposed to developing it. Louis wain has 29 books on goodreads with 398 ratings. Louis william wain was born on august 5, 1860 in clerkenwell in london.
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