Two caterpillars, a musical instrument and two fragments of Roman pottery
Drawing
late 19th century (drawn)
late 19th century (drawn)
| Artist/Maker |
Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) 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.
From natural history to archaeology, the various studies on this sheet reflect some of Beatrix Potter’s most significant interests. The two studies of caterpillars show the caterpillars of the privet hawk moth and puss moth; other close studies of the privet hawk moth and its caterpillar in the Linder Bequest date from the 1890s. The musical instrument in the centre of the sheet may be a bone pipe. The other studies are of Roman pottery fragments. In her journal entry for 9th July 1895, Potter describes showing some of her work, including her ‘Roman drawings’ to a knowledgeable gentleman who admired them. Potter stated: ‘He promised to meet me at the museum and tell me the names of some of my fossils.’
From natural history to archaeology, the various studies on this sheet reflect some of Beatrix Potter’s most significant interests. The two studies of caterpillars show the caterpillars of the privet hawk moth and puss moth; other close studies of the privet hawk moth and its caterpillar in the Linder Bequest date from the 1890s. The musical instrument in the centre of the sheet may be a bone pipe. The other studies are of Roman pottery fragments. In her journal entry for 9th July 1895, Potter describes showing some of her work, including her ‘Roman drawings’ to a knowledgeable gentleman who admired them. Potter stated: ‘He promised to meet me at the museum and tell me the names of some of my fossils.’
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Two caterpillars, a musical instrument and two fragments of Roman pottery (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | pencil on paper |
| Brief description | A sheet with pencil drawings of two caterpillars, a musical instrument (probably a bone pipe) and two fragments of Roman pottery, by Beatrix Potter, probably late 19th century; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.699. |
| Physical description | A sheet of five closely observed pencil studies; if the paper is upright the Roman pottery fragment studies are at the top, with the musical instrument study in the centre and the caterpillar studies below. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Production type | Unique |
| Credit line | Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number] |
| Object history | Drawn by Beatrix Potter, probably in the late 19th century. 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) 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. From natural history to archaeology, the various studies on this sheet reflect some of Beatrix Potter’s most significant interests. The two studies of caterpillars show the caterpillars of the privet hawk moth and puss moth; other close studies of the privet hawk moth and its caterpillar in the Linder Bequest date from the 1890s. The musical instrument in the centre of the sheet may be a bone pipe. The other studies are of Roman pottery fragments. In her journal entry for 9th July 1895, Potter describes showing some of her work, including her ‘Roman drawings’ to a knowledgeable gentleman who admired them. Potter stated: ‘He promised to meet me at the museum and tell me the names of some of my fossils.’ |
| 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.71; no.699
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.71; no.699 |
| Other number | LB.699 - Linder Bequest catalogue no. |
| Collection | |
| Library number | BP.371 |
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| Record created | May 13, 2015 |
| Record URL |
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