Artwork
The fox taking leave of the stork
The fox taking leave of the stork is a watercolor work on paper by Beatrix Potter. It dates from 1919 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The Fox Taking Leave of the Stork is a watercolour illustration by Beatrix Potter, created around 1918 as part of an unrealized project based on Aesop's fables. The work features characters from 'The Fox and the Stork' fable.
Subject & Meaning
This illustration depicts a scene from the classic fable 'The Fox and the Stork', where the fox, having been tricked by the stork, bids farewell. Potter's rendition focuses on the natural behaviors and anatomy of the animal characters, typical of her approach to illustrating fables.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolour, the piece showcases Potter's skill in capturing detailed animal anatomy while infusing the scene with her imaginative touch, blending realism with a whimsical narrative sensibility.
History & Provenance
Created in 1918 for a proposed book combining several Aesop's fables, the illustration was part of a draft submitted to Frederick Warne & Co. The project was rejected, with the publishers expressing preference for Potter's original work over Aesop's fables.
Context
This work reflects Potter's intermittent interest in illustrating Aesop's fables, a theme she revisited in the late 1910s after earlier explorations in the 1890s and the publication of 'The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse' in 1918.
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.
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