Artwork
Two squirrels sitting on a log
Two squirrels sitting on a log 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 *Two squirrels sitting on a log* around 1894. She used watercolour, a tricky medium for fine detail. The squirrels sit on a log.
This wasn’t just a hobby. Potter made several versions of this scene, even a back view of the squirrels. It might have been a design for a greeting card.
Check out more by Beatrix Potter.
Overview
Two squirrels sitting on a log is a watercolour painting by Beatrix Potter, created around 1894. The work depicts two red squirrels perched on a log, showcasing Potter's skill with the watercolour medium.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features two red squirrels, a subject Potter revisited multiple times. Her depiction of these animals is reminiscent of her later work in The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, a children's book published in 1903.
Technique & Style
Potter's use of watercolour allowed for delicate, detailed renderings of the squirrels and their surroundings. The painting demonstrates her ability to achieve fine detail in a medium that can be challenging to control.
History & Provenance
Multiple versions of this composition exist, including a back view of the squirrels, suggesting that Potter revisited the design several times. The painting may have been intended as a design for a greetings card for Hildesheimer & Faulkner in the 1890s or for a calendar cover in 1928.
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.
