'The Electrical Life of Louis Wain': 5 things you need to know about Louis Wain
The life of an artist is not always easy. But whatever may be the circumstances, it lends itself to creativity and imagination, often leading them to create some of their best works. For Louis Wain, the death of his wife Emily Richardson proved to be a defining tragedy -- although he lost the woman he loved, it was through her he found an art style that was distinctively his.
'The Electrical Life of Louis Wain' follows the life of Wain, whose art is synonymous with cats themselves. However, the journey to becoming a prolific artist was not an easy one. Here's what we know about Louis Wain. If you're looking for other movie titles to check out, you might want to consider -- 'Electric Jesus', 'Home Sweet Home Alone' and 'Apex'.
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Louis Wain was the oldest of six children
Louis Wain was born Louis William Wain on 5 August 1860, in Clerkenwell, London to William Matthew Wain and Felicia Marie/Julie Felicie (Boiteux. His father was a textile trader and embroiderer. The oldest of six children, Wain was the only son the couple had, seeing that they had 5 girls after his birth. Wain was also the only one of his siblings to get married.
He was born with a cleft lip
Wain was born with a cleft lip and was thus not sent to school on account of the doctor's orders until he was 10 years old. Unfortunately, medical issues seemed to have run in the family, as his younger sister was certified as insane, at the age of 30 and admitted to an asylum. Wain too suffered from erratic mood swings and anger, which came up later on in his life.
He began his career as a teacher
Wain went on to study art at the West London School of Art and later began teaching there. After the death of his father, he was left to support his mother and his five sisters. He later quit his job and began freelancing, which proved to be a lucrative career choice. He illustrated for journals such as Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News and The Illustrated London News. His ability to draw animals truly stood out and at one point, he hoped to make a career drawing dog portraits.
He was chairman of the National Cat Club
In 1886, he published his work, 'A Kittens' Christmas Party' in Illustrated London News which featured 150 cats engaging in a range of festive activities. Wain's work continued to evolve, with his anthropomorphized cats gaining more exaggerated facial expressions, walking upright and wearing clothing. With Anthropomorphic portrayals of animals being popular in England at the time, Wain's work grew in popularity. In 1898 and 1911 he was chairman of the National Cat Club and was a part of several animal charities, such as Governing Council of Our Dumb Friends League, the Society for the Protection of Cats, and the Anti-Vivisection Society.
He allegedly suffered from schizophrenia
In the later years of his life, Wain's behavior was erratic and even violent, leading to his sisters admitting him to the Springfield Mental Hospital. After it was made known that he was in the pauper ward, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin intervened and he was transferred to the Bethlem Royal Hospital in Southwark, and later to Napsbury Hospital in Hertfordshire, north of London. In Napsbury, Wains spent the last 15 years of his life drawing. While it was speculated that he had schizophrenia, it was also debated that he more likely had Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
You can watch 'The Electrical Life of Louis Wain' from November 5, 2021 onwards on Amazon Prime Video.