A gentleman and lady rabbit walking through the snow under an umbrella
Watercolour
1890 (made)
1890 (made)
| 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.
In 1890 Beatrix Potter and her brother, Bertram, hoped to buy a printing machine. Bertram suggested that Beatrix sell her imaginary drawings to raise funds. The printer Hildesheimer & Faulkner purchased six designs from Beatrix and printed them as Christmas and New Year cards. Beatrix’s publishers also repackaged some of her card designs into a little Christmas booklet, A Happy Pair. The final version of this design appeared on the front cover of this publication in 1890. The illustrations were accompanied by verses written by the songwriter and barrister, Frederic E. Weatherly.
In 1890 Beatrix Potter and her brother, Bertram, hoped to buy a printing machine. Bertram suggested that Beatrix sell her imaginary drawings to raise funds. The printer Hildesheimer & Faulkner purchased six designs from Beatrix and printed them as Christmas and New Year cards. Beatrix’s publishers also repackaged some of her card designs into a little Christmas booklet, A Happy Pair. The final version of this design appeared on the front cover of this publication in 1890. The illustrations were accompanied by verses written by the songwriter and barrister, Frederic E. Weatherly.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Title | A gentleman and lady rabbit walking through the snow under an umbrella (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Watercolour drawing of a gentleman and lady rabbit walking through snow under an umbrella: study for a greetings card design and the Christmas booklet 'A Happy Pair' published by Hildesheimer & Faulkner, drawn by Beatrix Potter, probably in 1890; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.1767. |
| Physical description | A watercolour drawing of a gentleman rabbit in a blue-grey coat and a lady rabbit in a red hooded coat, the lady rabbit holding a basket. They walk through a snowy landscape under an umbrella. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'H. B. P.' (inscribed in ink to the lower right of the design by the artist) |
| Credit line | Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number] |
| Object history | Drawn by Beatrix Potter in around 1890; her finished illustration for 'A Happy Pair' was published that year by Hildesheimer & Faulkner. 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. In 1890 Beatrix Potter and her brother, Bertram, hoped to buy a printing machine. Bertram suggested that Beatrix sell her imaginary drawings to raise funds. The printer Hildesheimer & Faulkner purchased six designs from Beatrix and printed them as Christmas and New Year cards. Beatrix’s publishers also repackaged some of her card designs into a little Christmas booklet, A Happy Pair. The final version of this design appeared on the front cover of this publication in 1890. The illustrations were accompanied by verses written by the songwriter and barrister, Frederic E. Weatherly. |
| 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.191; no.1767
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.191; no.1767 |
| Other number | LB.1767 - Linder Bequest catalogue no. |
| Collection | |
| Library number | BP.1474 |
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| Record created | June 2, 2015 |
| Record URL |
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