Artwork
Sty Head Tarn
Sty Head Tarn is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Beatrix Potter. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Beatrix Potter painted a quiet landscape of Sty Head Tarn in the Lake District.
Beatrix Potter painted a quiet landscape of Sty Head Tarn in the Lake District. She used watercolour and pencil around 1900. It’s a copy of an earlier work she saw at the museum.
Potter spent years in London before moving to the countryside. She traced Constable’s version from 1820s and redrew it herself.
This piece shows her love for the Lake District’s wild beauty. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.
Overview
This watercolour and pencil drawing depicts Styhead Tarn in the Lake District, created by Beatrix Potter around 1900. It is a copy of John Constable's earlier work of the same subject.
Subject & Meaning
The scene features Styhead Tarn with three prominent mountain peaks in the background: Great End, Scafell Pike, and Lingmell, showcasing the Lake District's rugged landscape.
Technique & Style
Potter's work is executed in watercolour and pencil, reflecting her skill in this medium. Although she later downplayed Constable's influence on her style, her copywork demonstrates an appreciation for his broad style.
History & Provenance
Potter created this drawing after viewing Constable's original at the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum) in London, where she lived for a time. Constable's original was made during his 1806 tour of the Lake District.
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.
