Beatrix Potter: an awkward education

Girls of Beatrix's social class had to be proficient at the genteel arts, including painting and drawing. Between November 1878 and May 1883 Beatrix's parents arranged drawing lessons and enrolled her at the new National Art Training School in South Kensington to sit her Second Grade Art Student certificate. The generic student pieces in this display, including still life studies and exercises in design and perspective, are competent enough but convey a dark and listless formality that in retrospect seems to be at odds with the light humour and exuberance of her book illustrations.

The young Beatrix was self-taught. She copied from nature or from books and drawing manuals, and studied the works of Constable, Gainsborough and Turner in the Royal Academy exhibitions. Grateful that her education was largely neglected, she said 'it would have rubbed off some of the originality.'

Yet, girls of her social class had to be proficient at the genteel arts, including painting and drawing. Between November 1878 and May 1883 Beatrix's parents arranged drawing lessons and enrolled her at the new National Art Training School in South Kensington to sit her Second Grade Art Student Certificate.

Beatrix's generic student pieces from this period, including still life studies and exercises in design and perspective, are competent enough. Beatrix was even awarded an 'Excellent' in her examinations. But her still life drawings in particular convey a dark and listless formality that in retrospect seems to be at odds with the light humour and exuberance of her book illustrations.

Beatrix remained sceptical about formal art training: 'Painting is an awkward thing to teach except the details of the medium. If you and your master are determined to look at nature and art in two different directions you are sure to stick.'