Carnations
Watercolour
23/08/1903 (made)
23/08/1903 (made)
| Artist/Maker |
Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) made this drawing of carnations in a flower bed as a background study for the originally proposed (but not eventually used) frontispiece of The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny was first published in September 1904 in a print run of 20,000 copies; these copies lasted only a month before a reprint was needed. The book was reviewed in The Times Literary Supplement on 28 October; the reviewer was unsure about the text of Potter’s latest story but felt ‘no hesitation in calling her pencil perfect’, a review Potter herself found ‘most amusing’. There are other studies for the originally proposed frontispiece in the Linder Bequest, two of which include the rabbits, Benjamin and Peter.
Beatrix Potter is one of the world's best-loved children's authors and illustrators. She wrote the majority of the twenty-three Original Peter Rabbit Books between 1901 and 1913. The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Frederick Warne, 1902) is her most famous and best-loved tale.
Beatrix Potter is one of the world's best-loved children's authors and illustrators. She wrote the majority of the twenty-three Original Peter Rabbit Books between 1901 and 1913. The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Frederick Warne, 1902) is her most famous and best-loved tale.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Carnations (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink and watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Pen and ink and watercolour drawing of carnations in a garden, a background study for the originally proposed frontispiece of The Tale of Benjamin Bunny (1904), by Beatrix Potter; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.806. |
| Physical description | Pen and ink drawing of carnations in a flower bed with watercolour wash; the flowers vivid red. The study is in portrait format. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Aug 23rd' (Inscribed in pencil lower right.) |
| Credit line | Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number] |
| Object history | Drawn by Beatrix Potter in 1903 as a background study for the originally proposed frontispiece of The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. Acquired by the V&A from Leslie Linder (1904-1973) in 1973 as part of the Linder Bequest, a collection of ca. 2150 watercolours, drawings, literary manuscripts, correspondence, books, photographs, and other memorabilia associated with Beatrix Potter and her family. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) made this drawing of carnations in a flower bed as a background study for the originally proposed (but not eventually used) frontispiece of The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny was first published in September 1904 in a print run of 20,000 copies; these copies lasted only a month before a reprint was needed. The book was reviewed in The Times Literary Supplement on 28 October; the reviewer was unsure about the text of Potter’s latest story but felt ‘no hesitation in calling her pencil perfect’, a review Potter herself found ‘most amusing’. There are other studies for the originally proposed frontispiece in the Linder Bequest, two of which include the rabbits, Benjamin and Peter. Beatrix Potter is one of the world's best-loved children's authors and illustrators. She wrote the majority of the twenty-three Original Peter Rabbit Books between 1901 and 1913. The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Frederick Warne, 1902) is her most famous and best-loved tale. |
| Bibliographic reference | Hobbs, Anne Stevenson, and Joyce Irene Whalley, eds. Beatrix Potter: the V & A collection : the Leslie Linder bequest of Beatrix Potter material : watercolours, drawings, manuscripts, books, photographs and memorabilia. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985.
p.87; no.806
Hobbs, Anne Stevenson, and Joyce Irene Whalley, eds. Beatrix Potter: the V & A collection: the Leslie Linder bequest of Beatrix Potter material: watercolours, drawings, manuscripts, books, photographs and memorabilia. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985. p.87; no.806 |
| Other number | LB.806 - Linder Bequest catalogue no. |
| Collection | |
| Library number | BP.488 |
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| Record created | March 12, 2015 |
| Record URL |
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