{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1255757"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1255757/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018LG8315/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018LG8315/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2018LG8315","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1255757","accessionNumber":"AR.14:5-1983","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Photograph of the Reverend William Gaskell at Dalguise House in Perthshire","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Rupert Potter (1832-1914), father of the children's writer and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), took up  photography in the 1860s when it was still a relatively new art form.  An enthusiastic and skilled amateur, he  was elected to the Photographic Society of London in 1869 and later contributed to photographic exhibitions.   Rupert assisted the artist Sir John Everett Millais (1829- 1896), a close friend, by photographing backgrounds for paintings and sitters for portraits. His favourite subject, however, was Beatrix herself and his prolific legacy of several hundred photographs forms a broad pictorial account of her life from infancy to marriage.\r\n\r\nBoth Rupert and Helen Potter were from wealthy north-west England Unitarian families who made their money in cotton manufacturing. Beatrix's maternal grandparents, Jane and John Leech, built their mansion, Gorse Hall, in Stalybridge and were the principal benefactors of Stalybridge Unitarian Church which opened in 1870. The first minister of the church was the Reverend William Gaskell (1805-1884), husband of the novelist and biographer Elizabeth Gaskell. Gaskell became a close family friend of Rupert Potter who shared not only his Unitarian faith but also his Liberal politics.  In the 1870s the Potter family rented Dalguise House near Dunkeld in Perthshire for the summer months and enjoyed frequent visits from Gaskell.  Beatrix Potter was particularly fond of him; she recorded his death in her journal, 'Dear old man, he has had a very peaceful end. If ever any one led a blameless peaceful life, it was he. Another old friend gone to rest. How few are left.'  At the age of eight Beatrix knitted Gaskell a comforter for a Christmas present; Gaskell replied with an affectionate letter of thanks, 'Big as I am I know I could not have done it one-tenth as well. Every time I put it round my neck - which during this weather will be every day - I shall be sure to think of you.'","physicalDescription":"Photograph of a seated man, Reverend William Gaskell, on the doorstep of Dalguise House. Gaskell is turned to the left of the photograph (his right). A hat lies on the ground beside him on his left and he holds an open book in his lap.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Rupert Potter","id":"N5415"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"albumen process","id":"AAT133274"},{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print on paper","categories":[{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"},{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Woodwork","id":"THES48877"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Tourism & Travel","id":"THES250702"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2018LG8315"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES317922"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Dalguise House","id":"x43404"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"August 1880","earliest":"1880-08-01","latest":"1880-08-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Joan Duke.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"165","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"218","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Rev W Gaskell / R Potter / Dalguise Aug 1880'","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 in pencil on verso by Rupert Potter."}],"objectHistory":"Photographed at Dalguise House in Perthshire in August 1880 by Rupert Potter. Given to the Museum by Joan Duke in 1983.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph of the Reverend William Gaskell at Dalguise House in Perthshire; taken by Rupert Potter in August 1880.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Dalguise House","id":"x43404"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Reverend William Gaskell","id":"AUTH320966"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["AR.14:5-1983"],"accessionNumberNum":"14","accessionNumberPrefix":"AR","accessionYear":1983,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"V&A Archive number","id":"THES54576"},"number":"AAD/1983/14/5"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-10","recordCreationDate":"2012-10-03","availableToBook":true}}