LOUIS WAIN GOOD LUCK
OBSESSION WITH CATS

I bet you've heard of Louis Wain and his cats at least once, especially after the recent biopic The Visionary World of Louis Wain available on Rai Play.

But who was this enigmatic character who lived in 19th century Victorian England? And why he was so obsessed with cats? Let's find out together!

Chi era Louis Wain?

Louis Wain was a renowned English artist who became famous for his whimsical illustrations of gatti between the 19th and 20th centuries. His life story, recently featured in the biopic The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021) con Benedict Cumberbatch, has often been associated with discussions about mental health in the artists.

Wain's cats were renowned for their playful and cheerful behavior. However, behind these feline representations, often bizarre and eccentric, one is hiding touching life story. Born in 1860 a Clerkenwell, Londra, Wain was the eldest of six brothers and the only son in the family. His family history was marked by illness, with his younger sister admitted to an institution at a young age.

In the 1883, Wain sposò Emily Richardson, his sister's former housekeeper. Unfortunately, Emily's battle against the breast cancer it caused extreme pain in their lives. They have adopted a gatto stray named Peter, che ha ispirato uno dei personaggi di “Madame Tabby’s Constitution”. Wain's dedication to drawing kittens stemmed from a desire to cheer up his wife's spirits during the illness.

Facing personal challenges, including a congenital cleft lip defect, and the responsibility of supporting his family after his father's death, Wain initially worked as teacher before fully embracing his talent in animal illustrations, especially cats.

Despite his passion for drawing cats in various anthropomorphic scenarios, Wain initially aspired to become a print artist. He specialized in the representation of animal and rural scenes and obtained recognition as an illustrator for popular scientific and journalistic publications.

The artistic career and the death of his wife

At the age of 24 years, Wain sold his first illustration “felina” – un’infografica raffigurante l’addomesticamento dei gatti – all’Illustrated London News.

In the 1886 was charged with illustrate children's book Madame Tabby’s Constitution by Caroline Hughes/Kari, a fairy tale story about a school for teaching kittens good manners. I suoi simpatici–e anche un po’ bizarre!–disegni hanno conquistato da subito il pubblico.

As well as illustrations and posters, Wain ventured into the creation of sculture di “gatti futuristi” with commercial intent, although this enterprise faced challenges during the war.

Lo anthropomorphic style of the artist, with its characters embodying human traits and behaviors, met with great success in Victorian England. However, despite its popularity, financial difficulties persisted as he prioritized supporting his family.

Louise Wain: cats and mental illness

The cat craze exploded with Wain's iconic illustration of the Kitty Christmas Party in the Christmas issue of Illustrated London News, who sees beyond 150 cats engaged in festive activities. Tragically, shortly after this happened, the wife Emily died, causing Wain to fall into one depression which would be subtly reflected in his later illustrations.

Speculations about the artist's mental health, perhaps impacted by the loss of family members and the illness of his wife, have led to theories about schizophrenia early. Some argue, Furthermore, that he may have been a victim of the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, of which cats are carriers.

Wain spent his last years in mental health facilities, where he continued to draw, albeit with a shift towards bright colors and abstract patterns, perhaps indicative of cognitive changes. Some interpret this change as a textbook example of cognitive decline, while others debate the chronological accuracy of such interpretations.

Despite it all, we can say with certainty that Wain dedicated his life to cats, not just artistically, but also actively supporting charities and animal rights organizations.

In conclusion, the life and artistic talent of Louis Wain they offer a narrative from other times but tremendously current. La vita dell’artista ha visto l’intrecciarsi di vari temi – amore, loss, resilienza mentale – e ciò che ha lasciato ai posteri è un’eredità di illustrazioni di gatti la cui interpretazione continua ad affascinare il pubblico di tutto il mondo.

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