'But they are overborne' thumbnail 1
'But they are overborne' thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

'But they are overborne'

Drawing
ca. 1890s (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.

Beatrix Potter made many imaginary drawings in the 1890s, before she published her books. This picture series about a guinea pig may well date from this time. In the story we see an unfortunate guinea pig requiring some dental work. Potter attached each drawing to a larger sheet of paper, on which she has given each drawing its caption. While the caption for the second drawing in the sequence reads: ‘The guinea pig has doubts’, the caption for this, the third, reads: ‘But they are overborne’.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Title'But they are overborne' (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
pen and ink over pencil on paper
Brief description
Drawing from a picture story about a guinea pig by Beatrix Potter, ca.1890s; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.1054
Physical description
A pen and ink drawing showing the dentist guinea pig, wearing a long coat, from behind; he is struggling with the patient.
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 802mm
  • Sheet width: 100mm
Style
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'HBP.' (Written in ink lower right.)
  • '19' (Written in pencil, upper right.)
  • '3' (Inscribed in ink, lower right. )
  • 'but they are / overborne' (Wirtten in pencil on the attached sheet. )
  • '3' (Written in pencil on attached sheet.)
Credit line
Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number]
Object history
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.

Beatrix Potter made many imaginary drawings in the 1890s, before she published her books. This picture series about a guinea pig may well date from this time. In the story we see an unfortunate guinea pig requiring some dental work. Potter attached each drawing to a larger sheet of paper, on which she has given each drawing its caption. While the caption for the second drawing in the sequence reads: ‘The guinea pig has doubts’, the caption for this, the third, reads: ‘But they are overborne’.
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.119; no.1054 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.119; no.1054
Other number
LB.1054 - Linder Bequest catalogue no.
Collection
Library number
BP.554(c)

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Record createdAugust 18, 2016
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