{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1172394"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1172394/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NY3787/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NY3787/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2024NY3787","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London / courtesy of Frederick Warne & Co. ","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1172394","accessionNumber":"BP.1159","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Still life study of sea shells, an antler and a Japanese drawing manual","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 Japanese drawing manual, 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 on paper in watercolour over pencil of a still life study of an antler on the left, sea shells in the foreground and a green Japanese drawing manual in the background with Japanese writing on it.","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","categories":[{"text":"History of the V&A","id":"THES252692"},{"text":"National Art Training School","id":"THES271067"},{"text":"Hunting","id":"THES253059"},{"text":"Watercolours","id":"THES277714"},{"text":"Education & Learning","id":"THES252542"},{"text":"Animals and Wildlife","id":"THES250852"},{"text":"Woman Artist","id":"THES387590"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2024NY3787"],"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":"ca. 1880","earliest":"1875-01-01","latest":"1884-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number]","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"257","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"321","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Size of paper","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Pinholes in corners of paper","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Drawn by Beatrix Potter ca. 1880.  Acquired by the V&A from Leslie Linder (1904-1973) as part of the Linder Bequest in 1973.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Watercolour and pencil still life drawing of sea shells, an antler and a Japanese drawing manual by Beatrix Potter, ca. 1880; Linder Bequest object no. LB.91.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"'Hobbs and Whalley, Beatrix Potter : the V&A Collection, London, 1985'","id":"AUTH315806"},"details":"Brief catalogue entry, no. 91.","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"antler","id":"AAT11796"},{"text":"seashells","id":"x39261"},{"text":"still lifes","id":"AAT15638"},{"text":"drawing manual","id":"x46635"},{"text":"natural history","id":"AAT251095"},{"text":"animals","id":"x30274"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["BP.1159"],"accessionNumberNum":"1159","accessionNumberPrefix":"BP","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Linder Bequest catalogue no.","id":"THES57120"},"number":"LB.91"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-09","recordCreationDate":"2010-09-17","availableToBook":false}}