Why Louis Wain? Well, his work has seeped so deep into my brain for so long that we’re not talking debt of gratitude here, but stalking ambitions. Not that there’s any way in illustration heaven that I’d be be fit to clean his many cats’ litter tray.
Louis Wain first appeared to me in the form of Lilian Jackson Braun’s ‘The cat who’ French edition series, where a siamese cat has better luck than his detective owner at solving improbable mysteries. While the books themselves are charming, there is no doubt that the cover illustrations were the real attraction.
Somehow his drawings have kept on popping all over the place and so I have to mention Mr Wain, as he is pretty much solely responsible for my ridiculous anthropomorphic cat obsession. Yes, Louis, I blame you. And thank you. It’s also worth noting that Nick Cave is a devoted collector, which only makes me love both parties involved even more.
There are many websites dedicated to the man, so go on, treat yourselves, check him out.