{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1247547"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1247547/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MM4778/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MM4778/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2020MM4778","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London / courtesy of Frederick Warne & Co. ","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1247547","accessionNumber":"BP.1443","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Studies of sheep's head","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"These watercolour sketches of a sheep's head were painted by Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) most likely after she began her later career as a farm and land owner in the Lake District. Potter purchased her first holding of Hill Top farm and farmhouse in 1905 partly from the income generated by the first few of her very popular 'little books'. She went on to acquire over 4,300 acres of fields, farms, cottages, and woodland in the Lake District which formed the Heelis Bequest to the National Trust after her death in 1943.\n\nAlthough not the variety depicted here, Potter became increasingly interested in preservation of the Herdwick variety of sheep – a breed, uniquely suited to the Lake District’s rocky terrain – which was becoming endangered. She reared her own flocks, became a member of the Herdwick Sheep Breeder’s Association and won many prizes for her ewes in the local shows. \n\nBeatrix Potter 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.  ","physicalDescription":"Two watercolour studies of a sheep's head. Sheep has cream/white fleece and black face. Top illustration: sheep is in profile, looking towards the left. Bottom ill.: sheep is turning away from the viewer and looking back towards the left.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Beatrix Potter","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 and pencil on paper.","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Animals and Wildlife","id":"THES250852"},{"text":"Watercolours","id":"THES277714"},{"text":"Woman Artist","id":"THES387590"},{"text":"Agriculture","id":"THES250518"},{"text":"Farming","id":"THES277573"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2020MM4778"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"016","id":"THES317978"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour (painting)","id":"AAT78925"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number]","dimensions":[{"dimension":"height","value":"225","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"size of paper","note":""},{"dimension":"width","value":"180","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"size of paper","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Drawn by Beatrix Potter, probably between 1905 and 1943. 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.   ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Studies of a sheep's head in watercolour and pencil by Beatrix Potter; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.384.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"'Hobbs and Whalley, Beatrix Potter : the V&A Collection, London, 1985'","id":"AUTH315806"},"details":"Brief catalogue entry, no. 384.","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"sheep","id":"x30093"},{"text":"natural history","id":"AAT251095"},{"text":"animals","id":"x30274"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["BP.1443"],"accessionNumberNum":"1443","accessionNumberPrefix":"BP","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Linder Bequest catalogue no.","id":"THES57120"},"number":"LB.384"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-24","recordCreationDate":"2012-06-07","availableToBook":true}}