The Rabbits' Christmas Party: The Departure thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Not currently on display at the V&A
On short term loan out for exhibition

The Rabbits' Christmas Party: The Departure

Watercolour
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.

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Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe 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
  • Sheet height: 246mm
  • Sheet width: 244mm
Style
Production typeUnique
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
  • 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. 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. cat. no.1006, p.112.
  • Beatrix Potter: artist & illustrator Frederick Warne & Co Ltd, 2005 p.94 Anne Stevenson Hobbs, Beatrix Potter: Artist & Illustrator, London, 2005, p.94
  • Margaret Lane, The Tale of Beatrix Potter, London, 1986, p.61
Other number
LB.1006 - Linder Bequest catalogue no.
Collection
Library number
BP.1471(d)

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Record createdMarch 18, 2016
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