- 358
Potter, Beatrix
Description
- Potter, Beatrix
- Two Rabbits with a Sledge in the Snow
- WATERCOLOUR ON PAPER
Catalogue Note
This present example, thought to date from this time, concerns the escapades of two rabbits in the snow.
There have been a number of other similar scenes with the snowy doorway and the rabbit’s sledge occurring elsewhere.
The snowy doorway, for example, occurs in a scene showing a rabbit arriving with Christmas presents (National Trust, HIL RD99) and, also, leaving having delivered presents (National Trust, HIL RD120). The National Trust also owns a pencil and watercolour image of a rabbit finding a basket of food on his snowy doorstep (no owner's reference). A version of this was used for Changing Pictures, published by Nister in 1894.
The V&A Museum owns a fine watercolour of four rabbits in the snow, one dressed in a red jacket pulling a sledge (VA1008). There is also a pair of watercolours in the Free Library of Philadelphia (RBD BP ART 10a) showing two rabbits playing with, and then having fallen off, a sledge (see also Sotheby’s, 14 July 2011, lot 143).
Similar scenes have also been available at auction, for example, "Building a Snowman" (Christie's South Kensington, 18 July 2012, lot 714).