
© Bethlem Museum of Mind.
But that’s nothing compared to Louis Wain.
The Bethlem Museum of Mind in London is exploring his love of felines through a major exhibition where visitors can discover a selection of works by one of England’s most eccentric artists.
“Animal Therapy: The Cats of Louis Wain” allows visitors to the Bethlem Museum of Mind to learn about the life and work of the British painter.
Certified insane in June 1924, Louis Wain spent much of his life at the Royal Bethlem Hospital, located not far from the museum.
There, he made several drawings featuring cats, now exhibited in “Animal Therapy.” Some of his works show furry animals amid a Christmas celebration, like “Cats’ Christmas,” or grooming themselves, as in “Phrenology.”
“Appearing in vast quantities in prints, books, magazines, postcards and annuals, Wain’s cats are to be found engaging in every form of human activity – from playing cricket, digging up roads, and riding bicycles, to parading the latest fashions at Ascot and making pompous after-dinner speeches at the club,” explains the Bethlem Museum of Mind.

According to Colin Gale, the museum’s director, “Animal Therapy” brings together a selection of Louis Wain’s works that have never been shown together before.
“Visitors will be rewarded with a fascinating, vibrant and spirit-lifting show. Wain’s pictures made him a household name during his lifetime, and we hope to play our part in returning him to prominence,” he told The Guardian.
Art lovers can see the cat lover’s creations at the Bethlem Museum of Mind in southeast London until April 14. The exhibition comes a few weeks after the release of “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” on Amazon Prime Video, in which the actor Benedict Cumberbatch plays the English artist, alongside Claire Foy as his wife.