'Gardens Neatly Razed': The Art of the Flopsy Bunnies

Gardens, Neatly, Razed, Flopsy, Bunnies, Beatrix, Potter, Prints, Books

  • Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog

    Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog, Possibly 1909. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog
    About 1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

  • Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog

    Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog, 1909 (possibly). © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog
    About 1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

  • Beatrix Potter, Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies

    Beatrix Potter, Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, 1909. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
    1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009
    With kind permission from The British Museum, London

    Potter had an extraordinary ability to view the world from an animal's point of view - the narrow path, low box hedges and towering pink flowers make a perfect rabbit-sized backdrop for the adventures of the Flopsy Bunnies.

  • Beatrix Potter, Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies

    Beatrix Potter, Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, 1909. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
    1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009
    With kind permission from The British Museum, London

  • Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog

    Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog, 1909 (possibly). © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog
    About 1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

  • Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the walled garden at Gwaynynog

    Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the walled garden at Gwaynynog, Denbigh, possibly 1909. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Sketch of the walled garden at Gwaynynog, Denbigh
    About 1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

  • Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog

    Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog, 1909. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog
    1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

  • Beatrix Potter, Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies

    Beatrix Potter, Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, 1909, © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009.

    Beatrix Potter
    Illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
    1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009
    With kind permission from The British Museum, London

  • Beatrix Potter, finished illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies

    Beatrix Potter, finished illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, 1909. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter, finished illustration for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, 1909. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

  • Beatrix Potter, Illustrated manuscript of The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies

    Beatrix Potter, Illustrated manuscript of The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, 1909, © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Illustrated manuscript of The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
    1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Possessing a flair for both storytelling and illustrating, Potter paid great attention to the subtle interplay of text and image. Here, her drawing of the sleeping rabbits leaves little doubt as to the meaning of 'soporific'.

  • Beatrix Potter, Preliminary design for the title-page of The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies

    Beatrix Potter, Preliminary design for the title-page of The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, 1909. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Preliminary design for the title-page of The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
    1909
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

  • Beatrix Potter, Sketch of a trellis in the garden at Gwaynynog

    Beatrix Potter, Sketch of a trellis in the garden at Gwaynynog, with the potting shed in the distance, 1904. © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Beatrix Potter
    Sketch of a trellis in the garden at Gwaynynog, with the potting shed in the distance
    1904
    © Frederick Warne & Co., 2009

    Potter reworked this pen and ink sketch as the backdrop for the Flopsy Bunnies' eventual escape from Mr. McGregor's garden.