, , and Pre-Raphealitism

Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) is well known been developed in her school-room studio at as the creator and illustrator of The Tale of her parents' house in Bolton Gardens. The Peter Rabbit and· some twenty-five other studio was also something of a zoo with its children's books about animals. What was rabbit, mice, hedgehog-at least it was not known about Beatrix Potter until quite smaller and better cared for than Rossetti's recently, after the decoding of her JournaL menagerie at Cheyne Walk had been. After is the fact that she had also been an astute brief art lessons as a young girl, Potter spent critic and partial imitator of the Pre­ endless hours drawing rabbits in all poses as Raphaelite painters. Her opinions varied over well as mice and other small animals. As she the years from distast, especially for Rosset­ grew older she became fascinated with fungi, ti, to a self-confessed discipleship. In the last and drew and painted them in minute detail; year of her life she wrote her publishers, a collection of 270 fungi paintings is at the Frederick Warne & Co., who had no idea that Armitt Library in .3 she had kept so full a journal, that an essay It was her love of art that made Potter by Janet Adam Smith in The Listener com­ especially delighted to accompany her 'father pared her water colors and sketches to Con­ on his many visits to MUlais' studio. Rupert stable's. To her it was all "rubbish" and Potter, a Victorian gentleman who had in­ "bosh." "I have too much sense to resent a herited considerable wealth, was an amateur suggestion that my painting manner is not photographer of ability. In 1885 Beatrix Pot­ original, but founded in another painter's ter records in the Journal: "Mr. MUlais came manner; but I think it is silly to suggest it is here 15th [November] in the evening to get founded on Constable-a great artist with a papa to photograph that little boy of Effie's broad style." And she added, "When I was ... with a bowl of soap suds and all that, a young it was still permissible to admire the pipe, it's called A Child's World [later the Pre-Raphaelites; their somewhat niggling but famous Bubbles] . ... I want just to compare absolutely genuine admiration for copying it, I get this little thing (the photo of the piC­ natural details did certainly influence me. "I ture) and I hold in my hand and compare it One of the last detailed entries in her Jour­ with the life, and I can see where the draw­ nal records the death of Millais: "Thursday, ing's wrong" (J, 154). August 13th [1896]. Sir John Millais died Apparently Millais thought highly of August 13th .... I saw him last November, Rupert Potter's photographiC skill-"Mr. walking in Knightsbridge, 'how is my little Millais says the professionals aren't fit to hold friend?, can't speak, can't speak'. He looked a candle to papa" (J, 63)-and desired his as handsome and well as ever, he was one of assistance in matters both large and small. the handsomest men I ever saw, apart from When painting Pomona, he requested a the defect of his eye, and the odd mark across "photo of an apple tree"; when painting the his forehead." Then, remembering her many Drummer-Boy, he wanted "a running stream visits to Millais' studio, Potter added, "If a to assist him with the landscape" (J, 63). great portrait painter's criticism is of any in­ For all this obliging assistance Mr. Potter terest this is it ... I was a little like his enjoyed the friendship of a gifted, popular daughter Carrie, at that time a fine handsome painter and the incidental advice that could girl, but my face was spoiled by the length be passed on to his daughter: "Papa asked of my nose and upper lip .... At Perth ... he Mr. Millais about mixing paints, and he very really paid me a compliment for he said that kindly said what I should get .... Mr. MUlais 'plenty of people can draw, but you and my is very careful what he uses and says he son John have observation'. "2 believes his pictures wi1llast to the end of Beatrix Potter's talent for observation had time, and not crack like Reynolds'" (J, 32).

68 THE JOURNAL OF PRE-RAPHAELITE STUDIES