Artwork
Unfinished sketch of Mrs Tiggy-winkle
Unfinished sketch of Mrs Tiggy-winkle is a watercolor work on paper by the Post-Impressionist artist Beatrix Potter. It dates from 1905 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Beatrix Potter sketched this watercolour around 1905. It’s an early study for a hedgehog character she later used on a book cover. Potter kept pet hedgehogs and wrote about them often.
In a letter, she joked how hard it was to pose her hedgehog. The poor thing kept yawning and even tried to bite while she worked.
Check out more of Beatrix Potter’s work at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
This watercolour sketch is a preparatory study for an illustration of Mrs Tiggy-winkle, a hedgehog character created by Beatrix Potter.
Subject & Meaning
The sketch depicts a hedgehog in a seated pose, likely drawn from life as Potter kept pet hedgehogs and referenced them in her correspondence.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in watercolour, a medium Potter used extensively in her illustrations for children's books.
History & Provenance
The undated sketch is believed to have been created around 1905, coinciding with the publication of 'The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle'.
Context
Potter's letters reveal the challenges of drawing her pet hedgehog, which would yawn and bite when posed.
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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