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Description
Louis Wain (1860-1939) was a British artist who changed the public's perspective of house cats. Wain was an incredibly talented artist who attended the prestigious West London School of Art and went into work as an illustrator. In 1884, he married a woman named Elizabeth Richardson and together they had a house cat named Peter. However, Elizabeth developed breast cancer and passed away shortly after their wedding. In her sickness, Wain drew pictures of Peter to raise her spirits. He used Peter as a muse after her passing, and his art of cats quickly got incredibly popular. Wain illustrated his cats in an anthropomorphic style, giving them large eyes and human clothes. In Wain’s later years, his health quickly deteriorated. He was committed to a mental hospital when he was 63 years old and lived out the rest of his life in various hospitals.
College Name
Honors College
Instructor Name
Reagan Grimsley
Publication Date
Spring 2025
Recommended Citation
Fama, Madison, "Louis Wain and the Popularization of House Cats in England" (2025). HON 399 Study Abroad Posters. 22.
https://louis.uah.edu/honors-399/22