{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1172365"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1172365/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HA0656/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HA0656/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HA0656","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London, courtesy of Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd.","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1172365","accessionNumber":"LC 10/B/5 ","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Still life study of pomegranates and a vase","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Essentially self-taught, the young Beatrix Potter copied from nature or from books and drawing manuals, and studied the works of Constable, Gainsborough and Turner in the Royal Academy exhibitions.  She was grateful that her education was largely neglected, ‘it would have rubbed off some of the originality.’   However, it was customary for girls of Beatrix’s social class to be proficient at the genteel arts, including painting and drawing, so from November 1878 to May 1883 the Potters arranged drawing lessons for Beatrix and enrolled her at the new National Art Training School in South Kensington to sit her Second Grade Art Student Certificate.  \r\n\r\nThis generic student piece, featuring a vase and pomegranates, is competent enough.  Beatrix was even awarded an ‘Excellent’ in her examinations at the National Art Training School.  However, her drawings from this period convey a dark and listless formality that seems in retrospect to be at odds with the light humour and exuberance of her imaginative book illustrations.  Beatrix remained sceptical of the value of formal art training: ‘Painting is an awkward thing to teach except the details of the medium. If you and your master are determined to look at nature and art in two different directions you are sure to stick.’","physicalDescription":"Drawing in watercolour and pencil on paper of a green and brown earthenware vase or flask behind two pomegranates, one of which (left) is cut open.  Background finished with a grey wash.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Potter, Beatrix","id":"A18000"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour painting (technique)","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour over pencil on paper, and wash","categories":[{"text":"Watercolours","id":"THES277714"},{"text":"Food vessels & Tableware","id":"THES48952"},{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"},{"text":"Woman Artist","id":"THES387590"},{"text":"Children & Childhood","id":"THES48980"},{"text":"Made by children","id":"THES274364"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2014HA0656"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"SK Temp 15","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour (painting)","id":"AAT78925"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"November 1881","earliest":"1881-11-01","latest":"1881-11-30"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Linder Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"228","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sheet","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"257","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sheet","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'November 1881'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscription by Beatrix Potter in pencil on verso"}],"objectHistory":"Given by Leslie Linder (1904-1973) to the National Book League (now the Book Trust) in 1970 as part of a representative selection of Beatrix Potter's work. This selection, comprising 279 drawings and 38 early editions and now known as the Linder Collection, was formerly on long-term loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum between 1989 and 2019 form the charitable trust, The Linder Trust. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Still life study of two pomegranates and an earthenware vase by Beatrix Potter, 1881; Linder Collection object no. LC.10.B.5; catalogue no. 1.11.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"'Anne Stevenson Hobbs (compiler), The Linder Collection of the works and drawings of Beatrix Potter : catalogue of works on paper, London, 1999'","id":"AUTH315653"},"details":"Brief catalogue entry, no. 1.11","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"pomegranates (fruit)","id":"x30071"},{"text":"vases","id":"AAT132254"},{"text":"flasks","id":"AAT45671"},{"text":"earthenware","id":"AAT140803"},{"text":"still lifes","id":"AAT15638"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["LC.10/B/5"],"accessionNumberNum":"10","accessionNumberPrefix":"LC","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Previous Loan Number","id":"THES50326"},"number":"LOAN:LINDER TRUST.75-1994"},{"type":{"text":"Linder Collection catalogue no.","id":"THES53323"},"number":"1.11"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-09","recordCreationDate":"2010-09-16","availableToBook":false}}