Louis Wains Cats

'Louis Wain invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world'. Broadcast in 1925 by H.G. Wells, these words characteristically foretold the future of the Wain cat which has, once more, become the century's most recognisable image in cat art. During their heyday, in the time before the First World War, Louis Wain's cats, dressed as humans, portrayed that stylish Edwardian world having fun: at restaurants and tea parties, going to the Race and the Seaside, celebrating at Christmas and Birthdays, and disporting themselves with exuberant games of tennis, bowls, cricket and football. This is a titillating world of cats at play, uninhibited and slightly dangerous, with most group activities likely to turn into mishap, mayhem and catastrophe. This is Wain's world, funny, edgy and animated: a whole cat world. The first comprehensive exhibition of Wain's work was held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1972 and, since then, Louis Wain has steadily become more fashionable, and collected worldwide. This biography contains 300 plates of richness and variety, all of which are reproduced faithfully from the original artwork. This book is jointly published by Chris Beetles Ltd and Canongate Books.

An in-depth biographical study, rare essays by and about Wain, and 60 of his best-loved illustrations make this a must-have for fans of the cult cat artistWith a wealth of Wain's most famous drawings, as well as rare writings by and about the artist, this is an ideal book for both Wain fans and cat-lovers in general. Louis Wain drew cats: cats playing poker, boxing, playing cricket, and doing almost any human activity. 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. From humble beginnings, Wain became a hugely successful popular artist, creating the Louis Wain Annual series and the first ever animated cat character, later acknowledged as the inspiration for Mickey Mouse. But after he lost his fortune, he lost his mind. He ended up in a provincial asylum, sketching psychedelic cats that were more fiend-like than feline. When his fate was discovered in 1925, the Royal Family and the Prime Minister joined a national campaign to rescue Wain. The artist never entirely recovered his health, but he was eventually moved to a better home, where he continued to draw and paint almost until his death in 1939.

Perhaps the best loved illustrator of comic cats of the twentieth century. Born in 1860 Wain became a household name for his cat illustrations in the 1890s. 65 colour & 105 b/w illustrations

Based on the life of the illustrator's pet cat.

Louis Wain was one of the most popular commercial illustrators in the history of England. Born in 1860, his portrayals of cats captured the imagination of the citizens, and his work helped to elevate the profile and popularity of cats to unprecedented heights. H.G. Wells once remarked. "He made the cat his own. He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world. Cats who do not live and look like Louis Wain cats are ashamed of themselves." His illustrations were so popular that throughout the beginning of the twentieth century, most homes had at least one of his famous cat annuals and many nurseries had Wain posters hanging on their walls. In the time before the First World War, Louis Wain's cats, dressed as humans, portrayed that stylish Edwardian world having fun: at restaurants and tea parties, going to the Race and the Seaside, celebrating at Christmas and Birthdays, and disporting themselves with exuberant games of tennis, bowls, cricket and football. This book tells Wain's story with full color high resolution reproductions of some of his drawings.

The Travels of Sir John Mandeville is the chronicle of the alleged Sir John Mandeville, an explorer. His travels were first published in the late 14th century, and influenced many subsequent explorers such as Christopher Columbus.

Here 'Downland' refers to the chalk countriside of Southern England and the Isle of Wight.