Not currently on display at the V&A

House in a steep-sided valley with a winding road

Watercolour
early 20th century (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) 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.

This watercolour of a house on a hillside with a winding road may show a Lake District view. Beatrix Potter’s family holidayed in the Lake District regularly from 1885 and in 1905 she cemented her connection to the area by purchasing Hill Top. However, it was not until her marriage to Lakeland solicitor William Heelis in 1913 that she settled there permanently.

Some of Potter’s well-known ‘little books’ are inspired by the Lakeland landscape. The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle (Frederick Warne & Co., 1905) is set in the Newlands valley and it is possible that this study is associated with the background material Potter worked on for the book.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleHouse in a steep-sided valley with a winding road (generic title)
Materials and techniques
watercolour and pencil on paper
Brief description
Watercolour and pencil study of a house in a steep-sided valley with a winding road by Beatrix Potter, probably early 20th century; Linder Bequest cat. no. LB.563.
Physical description
A watercolour and pencil study of a house on a hillside with a winding road.
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 251mm
  • Sheet width: 175mm
Style
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
'18 / H B Potter' (Inscribed in pencil on the verso by the artist.)
Credit line
Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number]
Object history
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.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) 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.

This watercolour of a house on a hillside with a winding road may show a Lake District view. Beatrix Potter’s family holidayed in the Lake District regularly from 1885 and in 1905 she cemented her connection to the area by purchasing Hill Top. However, it was not until her marriage to Lakeland solicitor William Heelis in 1913 that she settled there permanently.

Some of Potter’s well-known ‘little books’ are inspired by the Lakeland landscape. The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle (Frederick Warne & Co., 1905) is set in the Newlands valley and it is possible that this study is associated with the background material Potter worked on for the book.
Bibliographic reference
Hobbs, Anne Stevenson, and Joyce Irene Whalley, eds. Beatrix Potter: the V & A collection : the Leslie Linder bequest of Beatrix Potter material : watercolours, drawings, manuscripts, books, photographs and memorabilia. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985. p.60; no.563 Hobbs, Anne Stevenson, and Joyce Irene Whalley, eds. Beatrix Potter: the V & A collection: the Leslie Linder bequest of Beatrix Potter material: watercolours, drawings, manuscripts, books, photographs and memorabilia. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985. p.60; no.563.
Other number
LB.563 - Linder Bequest catalogue no.
Collection
Library number
BP.1129(v)

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Record createdAugust 19, 2015
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