Cute print of anthropomorphic cats being taught in a one-room schoolhouse. Typical of the late 19th-century, when novelty genre prints of animals dressed and acting like people became
popular.

Louis Wain was an English artist known for his drawings of cats. In his early twenties he began a career as an illustrator, and soon hit upon the formula for his success, combining his love of cats with his charming artistic style. By the turn of the century, the adorable and mischievious Louis Wain Cat was a popular culture icon of Edwardian England, appearing on calendars, postcards, books, periodicals and as separately-issued prints. Wain also served as president of Britain's National Cat Club. Demand for his cat pictures declined after the First World War, and in 1924 he succumbed to mental illness and was admitted in poverty to a mental hospital. He continued to paint in the hospital, however, and admirers of his artwork were moved by his plight and set up a fund to enable him to spend the rest of his days in comfort. His late work were colorful, highly stylized renditions of cats in a modern idiom that left the anthropomorphism of his early work behind. Wain was the subject of a biography by Rodney Dale called Louis Wain: The Man Who Drew Cats, first published in the 1960s, which revived interest in his work. His art has continued to fascinate both cat lovers and those interested in "outsider art" (which encompasses the art of the mentally ill).

References:

"An Introduction to Louis Wain." http://www.lilitu.com/catland/intro.shtml (3 February 2003).

Brockway-Boxer, James "Louis Wain." Henry Boxer Gallery. http://www.outsiderart.co.uk/wain.htm (3 February 2003).

"Louis Wain." Serial-Design.com. http://www.serial-design.com/ceramics/wain.htm (4 February 2003).