The Rabbits' Christmas Party: The Departure
Watercolour
ca. 1892 (made)
ca. 1892 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
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.
This drawing is one of a narrative series of four finished watercolours in the Linder Bequest known as ‘The Rabbits’ Christmas Party’. The sequence begins with the arrival of the rabbits at the party. They are then shown enjoying their Christmas dinner and roasting apples in front of the fire before their departure at the end of the evening. Potter gave the four drawings to her aunt, Lucy Roscoe, her father’s sister. Another pair of scenes related to the series are known, in which the rabbits dance and play Blind Man’s Buff.
In this, the last in the series of four held at the V&A, the rabbits are shown saying their farewells and leaving the party.
This drawing is one of a narrative series of four finished watercolours in the Linder Bequest known as ‘The Rabbits’ Christmas Party’. The sequence begins with the arrival of the rabbits at the party. They are then shown enjoying their Christmas dinner and roasting apples in front of the fire before their departure at the end of the evening. Potter gave the four drawings to her aunt, Lucy Roscoe, her father’s sister. Another pair of scenes related to the series are known, in which the rabbits dance and play Blind Man’s Buff.
In this, the last in the series of four held at the V&A, the rabbits are shown saying their farewells and leaving the party.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Rabbits' Christmas Party: The Departure (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour and pen and ink over pencil on paper |
| Brief description | Watercolour showing rabbits saying farewell from the series 'The Rabbits' Christmas Party', by Beatrix Potter, ca.1892; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.1006. |
| Physical description | A square composition with rabbits putting on their blue coats, saying farewell and departing from a party: a rabbit holds a candle and shows another rabbit out of the door on the right. |
| Dimensions |
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| 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 ca. 1892 and given to her aunt Lucy Roscoe. 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. This drawing is one of a narrative series of four finished watercolours in the Linder Bequest known as ‘The Rabbits’ Christmas Party’. The sequence begins with the arrival of the rabbits at the party. They are then shown enjoying their Christmas dinner and roasting apples in front of the fire before their departure at the end of the evening. Potter gave the four drawings to her aunt, Lucy Roscoe, her father’s sister. Another pair of scenes related to the series are known, in which the rabbits dance and play Blind Man’s Buff. In this, the last in the series of four held at the V&A, the rabbits are shown saying their farewells and leaving the party. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | LB.1006 - Linder Bequest catalogue no. |
| Collection | |
| Library number | BP.1471(d) |
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| Record created | March 18, 2016 |
| Record URL |
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