{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1255962"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1255962/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018LG8335/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018LG8335/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2018LG8335","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1255962","accessionNumber":"AR.14:8-1983","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Portrait of the Reverend William Gaskell","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\n\tBoth 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 slightly to the left of the photograph (his right) but looks straight on at the camera.  His hands are folded in his lap.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Rupert Potter","id":"A19569"},"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":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Tourism & Travel","id":"THES250702"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2018LG8335"],"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":"8 August 1881","earliest":"1881-08-08","latest":"1881-08-08"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Joan Duke","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"164","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"120","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Aug 8 1881 / Dalguise / R Potter / Rev W Gaskell'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Pencil inscription by Rupert Potter on verso."}],"objectHistory":"Photographed by Rupert Potter at Dalguise House on 8 August 1881.  Given to the Museum by Joan Duke in 1983.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Portrait of the Reverend William Gaskell at  Dalguise House in Perthshire, 8 August 1881; albumen print by Rupert  Potter.","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.14:8-1983"],"accessionNumberNum":"14","accessionNumberPrefix":"AR","accessionYear":1983,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"V&A Archive number","id":"THES54576"},"number":"AAD/1983/14/8"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-10","recordCreationDate":"2012-10-08","availableToBook":true}}