Artwork
Kittens with game collected for the White Cat's supper
Kittens with game collected for the White Cat's supper is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Beatrix Potter. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Beatrix Potter painted *Kittens with game collected for the White Cat's supper* around 1894. It’s a watercolour, small and sweet. Potter studied animals closely, so her details feel true.
She made this for fun before her Peter Rabbit books took off. It’s based on a fairy tale called *The White Cat* by the Countess d’Aulnoy.
Look up the artist Beatrix Potter next.
Overview
Created circa 1894, this small watercolour depicts a group of kittens presenting game for a banquet described in the fairy tale “The White Cat.” The work reflects Beatrix Potter’s early practice of drawing animals from life, rendered with delicate detail and a gentle palette.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates a moment from the Countess d’Aulnoy’s story, in which kittens gather prey to serve the titular White Cat. Potter’s composition captures the playful yet purposeful activity, emphasizing the natural behavior of the young cats while referencing the narrative’s festive banquet.
Technique & Style
Executed in transparent watercolour, the piece showcases Potter’s precise observation of feline anatomy and fur texture. Fine brushwork conveys the softness of the kittens’ bodies, while subtle washes suggest the wintry landscape that frames the tableau, a hallmark of her early illustrative approach.
History & Provenance
The drawing is one of four sheets linked to “The White Cat” that Potter inscribed with the note “Hertfordshire,” indicating they were likely produced during a 1894 visit to Camfield Place, her grandparents’ estate. The work entered the Linder Bequest collection, reflecting its early place in Potter’s oeuvre before her commercial publishing success.
Context
At the time of its creation, Potter was illustrating various fairy tales and classic texts for personal enjoyment and skill development, prior to the publication of her own Peter Rabbit books. Her illustrations for “The White Cat” were later reproduced in an 1896 Ernest Nister Holiday Annual, illustrating the broader circulation of her early drawings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Helen Beatrix Heelis (née Potter; 28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943), usually known as Beatrix Potter ( BEE-ə-triks), was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist.
