Psychedelic Cat
Artist: Louis Wain · Undated
Psychedelic Cat: high-resolution image, free to copy
The original file is hosted by Wikimedia Commons, available without payment or an account.960 × 1,244 pixels.
Open high-resolution image on Wikimedia CommonsLouis Wain. Wikimedia Commons.
Free to copy. Reuse terms: Public domain. Image source and credits.
The complete story
The story About 1 minutes to read
A cat stands against a dense field of wavy, high-colour pattern. The figure is simplified and the surface almost swallows it.
The cat's outline is repeated and distorted by the surrounding waves. Bright reds, blues and yellows create a vibrating surface, while the face remains the anchor.
Wain's pattern cats are among his best-known later works. They extend the decorative logic of his commercial illustrations into a more abstract register.
The image is often called psychedelic, a later label rather than Wain's own. It describes the visual effect, not a documented intention.
The story and its sources
Historical claims are linked to the records below. Close looking and interpretation are identified in the passage notes.
- Passage 1Article text
- Passage 2Article textWikimedia Commons: L. Wain's psychedelic cat.jpg
- Passage 3Article textWikipedia: Louis Wain
- Passage 4Article textWikipedia: Louis Wain
Artist portrait Image credit
Unknown photographer. Image source · Public domain
About the artist
Louis Wain
5 August 1860 to 4 July 1939
Wain was a British illustrator and painter best known for his anthropomorphic cats. Born in Clerkenwell, London, he trained at the West London School of Art and taught at Camberwell before building a career in illustrated papers, children's books and postcards. His cats move through theatres, clubs, shops and family celebrations, and his later patterned images have become some of his most discussed work.
- Born
- 5 August 1860
- Died
- 4 July 1939
- Nationality
- British
- Birthplace
- Clerkenwell, London, England
- Died in
- St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
Biography sources
The research & record
Study the work.
Follow the evidence.
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The artwork record
Research catalogue
Catalogue information and detailed research, with references that link to the bibliography.
Identity and catalogue
Link- Title
- Psychedelic Cat
- Artist / attribution
- Louis Wain
- Date
- Undated
- Medium and support
- Gouache and watercolour on paper
- Dimensions
- Not recorded in the source
- Culture / place
- British
- Period
- Victorian and Edwardian illustration
Read valuation records and their limitations
Subject and iconography
LinkRead valuation records and their limitations
Visual observation
The cat's outline is repeated and distorted by the surrounding waves. Bright reds, blues and yellows create a vibrating surface, while the face remains the anchor.(Wikimedia Commons: L. Wain's psychedelic cat.jpg, n.d.)
Historical context
LinkRead valuation records and their limitations
The work is undated, though it is usually placed in the 1910s or 1920s. The source records 1875, a date that does not fit Wain's mature style.
Wain's cat world
LinkRead valuation records and their limitations
Wain's pattern cats are among his best-known later works. They extend the decorative logic of his commercial illustrations into a more abstract register.(Wikipedia: Louis Wain, n.d.)
Reading the image
LinkRead valuation records and their limitations
The image is often called psychedelic, a later label rather than Wain's own. It describes the visual effect, not a documented intention.(Wikipedia: Louis Wain, n.d.)
Details to carry with you
- Undated
- Gouache and watercolour on paper
- The source records 1875, which does not fit the mature style
- Signed Louis Wain
Bibliography
Sources and further reading
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Source notes updated .
No recorded sources match these filters. Reset the filters to see the full bibliography.
- 01
Image-record
Wikimedia Commons: L. Wain's psychedelic cat.jpg (n.d.). Wikimedia Commons.
Citation text
- 02
Secondary
Wikipedia: Louis Wain (n.d.). Wikipedia.
Citation text
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12.7 × 17.8 cm / 5 × 7 in · Standard
12.7 × 17.8 cm / 5 × 7 in · Standard
5 × 7 in / 12.7 × 17.8 cm · Standard
5 × 7 in / 12.7 × 17.8 cm · Standard
5 × 7 in / 12.7 × 17.8 cm · Standard
5 × 7 in / 12.7 × 17.8 cm · Standard
5 × 7 in / 12.7 × 17.8 cm · Standard
Metal art sign
GBP 19.57
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iPhone 12 Mini ? Glossy ? back view
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A two-layer phone case with a printed polycarbonate shell and a shock-absorbing inner liner.
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- 1,122 × 1,831 px · 95 × 155 mm · PNG · 300 dpi recommended
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43.2 × 45.7 cm / 17 × 18 in · Artwork
43.2 × 45.7 cm / 17 × 18 in · Artwork
17 × 18 in / 43.2 × 45.7 cm · Artwork
17 × 18 in / 43.2 × 45.7 cm · Artwork
17 × 18 in / 43.2 × 45.7 cm · Artwork
Woven tote bag
GBP 46.69
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A woven tote with cotton webbing handles and the painting translated into a woven design.
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Flexible phone case
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A flexible TPU phone case with a frosted finish, a printed back and precise port openings.
Flexible TPU with a frosted, matte finish
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- 791 × 1,586 px · 67 × 134.3 mm · PNG · 300 dpi recommended
Rear outline and camera openings follow this variant's Printify template. Case depth and small hardware remain illustrative.
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Crew socks
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11oz · 2 image repeats
11oz · White
11oz · 2 image repeats
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A glossy white ceramic mug with a C-shaped handle, available in 11oz and 15oz sizes.
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iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
iPhone 12 Mini · Standard
iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
Biodegradable phone case
GBP 20.89
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A matte phone case made from plant polymers and bamboo fibre, with the artwork printed on the back.
Flexible plant-polymer shell with a matte finish
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- PLA and PBAT polymers with bamboo fibre
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- Standard version
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- Dye sublimation
- Print file
- 777 × 1,553 px · 65.8 × 131.5 mm · PNG · 300 dpi recommended
Rear outline and camera openings follow this variant's Printify template. Case depth and small hardware remain illustrative.
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iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
iPhone 12 Mini · Standard
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iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
iPhone 12 Mini ? Standard ? back view
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A clear phone case with artwork on the back. Leave areas transparent to show the phone underneath.
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- Standard version
- Printing
- Dye sublimation
- Print file
- 732 × 1,527 px · 62 × 129.3 mm · PNG · 300 dpi recommended
Rear outline and camera openings follow this variant's Printify template. Case depth and small hardware remain illustrative.
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15oz · 3 image repeats
15oz · Standard
15oz · 3 image repeats
15oz · 3 image repeats
15oz · 3 image repeats
15oz · 3 image repeats
15oz · 3 image repeats
Travel mug
GBP 31.88
Delivery GBP 5.66 / Total GBP 37.54
A stainless-steel travel mug with a black lid, a tapered base and a printed white exterior.
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2.5 × 3.4 cm / 1 × 1.4 in · Glossy
2.5 × 3.4 cm / 1 × 1.4 in · Glossy
1 × 1.4 in / 2.5 × 3.4 cm · Glossy
1 × 1.4 in / 2.5 × 3.4 cm · Glossy
1 × 1.4 in / 2.5 × 3.4 cm · Glossy
1 × 1.4 in / 2.5 × 3.4 cm · Glossy
Photo keyring
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A rectangular zinc-alloy photo keyring with a glossy insert and a swivel split ring.
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iPhone 15 Pro ? Glossy ? back view
iPhone 15 Pro · Glossy
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iPhone 15 Pro ? Glossy ? back view
iPhone 15 Pro ? Glossy ? back view
iPhone 15 Pro ? Glossy ? back view
iPhone 15 Pro ? Glossy ? back view
Slim phone case
GBP 16.31
Delivery GBP 5.76 / Total GBP 22.07
A slim printed phone shell with open ports and a lightweight profile.
Slim, lightweight polycarbonate shell
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- 1,278 × 1,971 px · 108.2 × 166.9 mm · PNG · 300 dpi recommended
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