Edwardian artist Louis Wain, renowned for his cat illustrations, reportedly served as the remarkable public relations catalyst for felines.
The annual exhibition "Louis Wain & the Cat Show" is set to return to the Chris Beetles Gallery from August 9-23, marking the 165th anniversary of the birth of the brilliant Edwardian artist, Louis Wain. This event is a celebrated gathering that showcases Wain's iconic and anthropomorphic cat illustrations, which brought him celebrity status in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Louis Wain, a renowned artistic mind, was born in Clerkenwell in 1860 to a textile trader and a church embroiderer. His unique style, characterized by whimsical and sometimes eerie depictions of cats, gained him widespread popularity. Wain sold his first drawing in December 1881 and gave up his position as an assistant master at the West London School of Art a year after to pursue illustrating full-time.
The exhibition will feature 24 previously unseen works by Wain, offering a glimpse into the depth and breadth of his artistic talent. These pieces underscore the historical and emotional significance of Wain’s art, which continues to fascinate art historians and cat enthusiasts alike.
The show also includes works by contemporary artists, such as Lesley Fotherby, an artist exhibiting in The Cat Show, who has a black cat named Pippin. Fotherby, like Wain, finds inspiration in capturing the movement and personality of her subjects, painting cats, dancers, and horses. She enjoys the variety in cat depictions at the exhibition and believes Louis Wain's individualism sets him apart.
The event gains renewed attention, especially following the 2021 release of the film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular artist. The film further popularized Wain’s story and art to a broad contemporary audience.
In addition to Wain's works, the exhibition will also feature pieces from other artists, making it a key event for fans of whimsical yet profound feline art. The exhibition is held annually at Chris Beetles Gallery in London, where Beetles, a biographer of Wain, curates it as a nod to Wain’s enduring legacy.
Lotte Brundle, the Digital Writer for this platform, is looking forward to the event. Brundle, who began her journalism career at The Fence and later worked as a sub-editor for The Times and The Sunday Times, joined in 2025. She reluctantly lives in noisy south London, a contrast to her wholesome Kentish upbringing, but finds solace in the beauty and charm of Wain's feline art.
The exhibition is a historical celebration and a popular cultural event that honours Wain’s contribution to art and cat imagery, making it a must-visit for anyone interested in the whimsical world of Louis Wain and his feline muses.
[1] "Louis Wain & the Cat Show" returns to Chris Beetles Gallery. (2023, July 26). Retrieved from [link to the source] [2] The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. (2021). Retrieved from [link to the source]
- The event, "Louis Wain & the Cat Show," not only showcases the historical and emotional significance of Louis Wain's feline art but also highlights contemporary artists' works, making it a must-visit for fashion-and-beauty enthusiasts who appreciate the unique, whimsical charm of feline art, as well as education-and-self-development seekers eager to immerse themselves in the world of Louis Wain.
- Lotte Brundle, a journalist with a background in the fashion-and-beauty industry and a passion for education-and-self-development, finds solace in the whimsical world of Louis Wain's art, which bridges entertainment and sports by capturing movement and personality in her subjects, much like the depictions of dancers and horses found in the works of contemporary artist Lesley Fotherby, who shares a love for Louis Wain's individualism.
