Clive A. Burden LTD. Rare Maps, Antique Atlases, Books and Decorative Prints

The Mapping of North America

Mr. Philip D. Burden​
P.O. Box 863,
Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks HP6 9HD,
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 76 33 13
Email: enquiries@caburden.com

Louis Wain (1860-1939) was a tragic artist who suffered schizophrenia. The early part of his career produced art of fanciful cats engaged in human activity. This is what he is known for, his love of cats. Professionally trained, at 24 he married Emily Richardson who tragically was struck down with breast cancer shortly after the wedding. To amuse his bedridden wife, Louis bought a black and white kitten and spent hours sketching his antics. Emily was enchanted and persuaded him to submit them to the ‘Illustrated London News’. He was at first reluctant but the editor loved them. Our love of cats today is almost entirely due to Louis Wain, up to that point their purpose was not as pets but more to control vermin. Emily died before seeing his major success. He never found another soulmate. In 1890 he produced on a whim his first anthropomorphic cats putting them in clothes. He drew them playing cards, cricket, boxing, golf etc.
WAIN, Louis

The Drive; The Approach; The Putt; Holed Out, the set of 4 golf

The Drive; The Approach; The Putt; Holed Out, the set of 4 golf (decorative print)
London, 1903
15 x 22 inches each, lovely early set of chromolithographs.
Stock number: D1780

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