A rabbit gardener
Drawing
1891 (drawn)
1891 (drawn)
| 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.
Beatrix Potter made many imaginary drawings in the 1890s, before her books had been published. This drawing is thought to have been made at Bedwell Lodge in Hertfordshire, where Potter stayed during the summer of 1891. She made a number of other imaginary drawings while staying there, including one known as ‘The rabbit’s potting shed’, which also includes potted plants and gardening tools (also in the V&A collection).
The potting shed at Bedwell Lodge would later inspire Potter’s illustration of Mr McGregor’s tool-shed in The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Beatrix Potter made many imaginary drawings in the 1890s, before her books had been published. This drawing is thought to have been made at Bedwell Lodge in Hertfordshire, where Potter stayed during the summer of 1891. She made a number of other imaginary drawings while staying there, including one known as ‘The rabbit’s potting shed’, which also includes potted plants and gardening tools (also in the V&A collection).
The potting shed at Bedwell Lodge would later inspire Potter’s illustration of Mr McGregor’s tool-shed in The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | A rabbit gardener |
| Materials and techniques | pencil and grey wash on card |
| Brief description | Drawing of a rabbit with a garden fork and trug in a garden setting with flowers, made by Beatrix Potter at Bedwell Lodge, Hertfordshire, in 1891; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.1011. |
| Physical description | A garden setting with, in the centre of the composition, a rabbit wearing a jacket and waistcoat and holding a fork and a garden trug. The rabbit stands next to what could be rabbit hutches, while there are potted plants in the foreground. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions | (According to the Linder Bequest catalogue (see literature references) 'Bedwell Lodge, 1891.' is inscribed on the verso. If correct, this inscription does not survive. ) |
| Credit line | Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number] |
| Object history | Drawn by Beatrix Potter at Bedwell Lodge, Hertfordshire, in 1891. 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 her books had been published. This drawing is thought to have been made at Bedwell Lodge in Hertfordshire, where Potter stayed during the summer of 1891. She made a number of other imaginary drawings while staying there, including one known as ‘The rabbit’s potting shed’, which also includes potted plants and gardening tools (also in the V&A collection). The potting shed at Bedwell Lodge would later inspire Potter’s illustration of Mr McGregor’s tool-shed in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. |
| 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.112; no.1011
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.112; no.1011 |
| Other number | LB.1011 - Linder Bequest catalogue no. |
| Collection | |
| Library number | BP.1191 |
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| Record created | August 19, 2016 |
| Record URL |
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