Louis Wain Fact #30:
While there is no definitive map of Catland, various maps shown give locations such as Catsupshire, Manx Island, Cow Corner, Tabbyshire, Rat Land, Cats'meat Haven, Persian Land, Beetleshire, Dog Corner, Tiger Land, Lion Desert, Elephant Bush, Parrot Forests, Cheese Country, Meow Land, Catnip Land, Beetle Fields, Mouse Corner, and Kittenland,
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On loan from the Bethlem Royal Hospital, catalogued by Patricia Allderidge.
108. GINGER CAT
Coloured pencil on paper
Inscribed on verso: F. Deuxbery, Mr. Louis Wain. Sept 1931
Date: September 1931
10" x 7"
The Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital Health Authority (Guttman-Maclay Collection)
This picture was drawn at Napsbury Hospital where the previous owner, Mr Deuxbery, was one of the nurses who looked after Wain. The background is presumably an example of the 'wallpaper patterns', so-called by the staff of Napsbury: in the early 30s Wain is said to have stopped drawing cats at all for a while, and drawn only these patterns, though he soon returned to cats.