Not currently on display at the V&A

Study for the final scene in a picture story: the guinea pigs 'go off discussing the successful operation'

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. Her picture series about a guinea pig, for which this is a preparatory study, may well date from this time. For the more finished series of drawings, which Potter ordered and added captions to, see museum numbers BP.554(a) – BP.554(e). In the story we see an unfortunate guinea pig requiring some dental work. This sheet is a preparatory study for the fifth and final scene in the story, when the guinea pig who has had a tooth removed, as well as the friend and the dentist, are shown walking away, ‘discussing the successful operation’.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleStudy for the final scene in a picture story: the guinea pigs 'go off discussing the successful operation'
Materials and techniques
pen and ink over pencil on paper
Brief description
Preparatory study for a picture story about a guinea pig by Beatrix Potter, ca.1890s; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.1060.
Physical description
Study of three guinea pigs walking away, viewed from behind.
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 83mm
  • Sheet width: 105mm
Style
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • '19' (Written in pencil upper right.)
  • '5' (Written in pencil lower left. )
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. Her picture series about a guinea pig, for which this is a preparatory study, may well date from this time. For the more finished series of drawings, which Potter ordered and added captions to, see museum numbers BP.554(a) – BP.554(e). In the story we see an unfortunate guinea pig requiring some dental work. This sheet is a preparatory study for the fifth and final scene in the story, when the guinea pig who has had a tooth removed, as well as the friend and the dentist, are shown walking away, ‘discussing the successful operation’.
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.121; no.1060 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.121; no.1060
Other number
LB.1060 - Linder Bequest catalogue no.
Collection
Library number
BP.556(v)a

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Record createdAugust 18, 2016
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