The rabbit's potting shed
Drawing
1891 (made)
1891 (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.
As well as an accomplished story-teller, Beatrix Potter was also a keen nature artist. Her menagerie of pets included rabbits, frogs, squirrels, mice and hedgehogs. When illustrating her tales she would always sketch her fictional characters from live models and often depicted real places in the backgrounds.
During the summer of 1891, the Potter family visited Bedwell Lodge, Hertfordshire. Beatrix Potter produced several sketches of the potting-shed, including this imaginative drawing of two rabbits potting geraniums. The potting-shed at Bedwell Lodge inspired Beatrix Potter's illustration of Mr. McGregor's tool-shed in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. In the story, Peter Rabbit runs into the tool-shed to escape from Mr. McGregor and hides inside a watering-can.
As well as an accomplished story-teller, Beatrix Potter was also a keen nature artist. Her menagerie of pets included rabbits, frogs, squirrels, mice and hedgehogs. When illustrating her tales she would always sketch her fictional characters from live models and often depicted real places in the backgrounds.
During the summer of 1891, the Potter family visited Bedwell Lodge, Hertfordshire. Beatrix Potter produced several sketches of the potting-shed, including this imaginative drawing of two rabbits potting geraniums. The potting-shed at Bedwell Lodge inspired Beatrix Potter's illustration of Mr. McGregor's tool-shed in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. In the story, Peter Rabbit runs into the tool-shed to escape from Mr. McGregor and hides inside a watering-can.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The rabbit's potting shed (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour wash and pen and ink on paper |
| Brief description | Drawing, "The Rabbit's Potting Shed" by Beatrix Potter; Bedwell Lodge, Hertfordshire, 1891; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.1001. |
| Physical description | Grey wash and pen and ink drawing on paper of the interior of the potting-shed at Bedwell Lodge, Hertfordshire, depicting two rabbits (one entering through the open door) potting geraniums, with a rake, broom, fork, spade, hoe and other garden tools on the right and potted geraniums and a watering-can on the left. The drawing is touched with chalky highlights. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| 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) as part of the Linder Bequest in 1973. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Literary reference | The potting-shed depicted in this illustration inspired Beatrix Potter’s illustration of Mr. McGregor’s tool-shed in The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Frederick Warne, 1902). In the tale, Peter Rabbit hides from Mr. McGregor inside a watering-can in the tool-shed; when he escapes he knocks over three potted geraniums. |
| 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. As well as an accomplished story-teller, Beatrix Potter was also a keen nature artist. Her menagerie of pets included rabbits, frogs, squirrels, mice and hedgehogs. When illustrating her tales she would always sketch her fictional characters from live models and often depicted real places in the backgrounds. During the summer of 1891, the Potter family visited Bedwell Lodge, Hertfordshire. Beatrix Potter produced several sketches of the potting-shed, including this imaginative drawing of two rabbits potting geraniums. The potting-shed at Bedwell Lodge inspired Beatrix Potter's illustration of Mr. McGregor's tool-shed in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. In the story, Peter Rabbit runs into the tool-shed to escape from Mr. McGregor and hides inside a watering-can. |
| Associated object | BP.279 (Object) |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | LB.1001 - Linder Bequest catalogue no. |
| Collection | |
| Library number | BP.431 |
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| Record created | September 12, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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