The Tailor of Gloucester

The Tailor of Gloucester, Beatrix Potter

  • Embroidered satin waistcoat

    Satin waistcoat embroidered in coloured silks, Gloucester, England, UK, 1770. Museum No. 652A-1898

    Beatrix Potter sketched this waistcoat in the V&A and copied it exactly in her illustrations of the Mayor of Gloucester’s costume. It originally formed part of a full dress suit, comprising a plain-coloured coat and breeches and a richly embroidered silk waistcoat. The motifs on the waistcoat would have been repeated on the coat and breeches.

  • Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the Mayor's waistcoat

    Beatrix Potter, Sketch of the Mayor's waistcoat, 1903. The Trustees of the Linder Collection, LC 9/A/2, © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

    Beatrix Potter
    Sketch of the Mayor's waistcoat
    1903
    Watercolour and pencil
    The Trustees of the Linder Collection LC 9/A/2
    © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

    Beatrix Potter’s sketch shows the V&A’s waistcoat as it appears on page 53 of the 2002 edition of The Tailor of Gloucester. The waistcoat has been folded in half to show the left front. Beatrix observes tiny details with great accuracy, specially in the embroidered leaves and flowers along the front edge.

  • Beatrix Potter, 'The Lady Mouse Curtseys

    Beatrix Potter, 'The Lady Mouse Curtseys, study, 1903. Linder Bequest LB 793 (BP 473a). © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

    Beatrix Potter
    'The Lady Mouse Curtseys'
    1903
    Watercolour and pencil
    Linder Bequest LB 793 (BP 473a)
    © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

    Variant illustration for page 24 of The Tailor of Gloucester.
    Beatrix Potter dressed the mice in authentic 18th-century costume, based partially on garments in the V&A’s collections. Lady Mouse wears an open cotton gown, red silk quilted petticoat, apron and linen mob cap. The teacups date from about 1800.

  • Beatrix Potter, 'The Gentleman Mouse Bows'

    Beatrix Potter, 'The Gentleman Mouse Bows', 1903. © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

    Beatrix Potter
    'The Gentleman Mouse Bows'
    1903
    Pencil and watercolour
    © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

    Beatrix Potter dressed the mice in authentic 18th-century costume, based partially on garments in the V&A’s collections. Gentleman Mouse wears court dress, with a tricorne hat. The teacups date from about 1800.

  • Beatrix Potter, The Tailor seated in the window of his shop

    Beatrix Potter, The Tailor seated in the window of his shop, 1903. © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

     

  • Left: William Hogarth, 'Noon'

    Left: William Hogarth, 'Noon', 1738, © The Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Right: Beatrix Potter, Frontispiece for The Tailor of Gloucester, 1903. © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

    Left:
    William Hogarth
    'Noon'
    1738
    Engraving and etching
    Forster Collection F.118 (68)
    © The Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum

    Right:
    Beatrix Potter
    Frontispiece for The Tailor of Gloucester
    1903
    © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

    Here, Potter based her illustration on a London street scene by William Hogarth (1697-1764). She used the painting to establish the period setting of her story, even picking out details of the gentleman’s attire.

  • Beatrix Potter, 'A mouse threads a needle with cherry coloured twist'

    Beatrix Potter, 'A mouse threads a needle with cherry coloured twist', 1903. © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

     

  • Beatrix Potter, 'No more twist'

    Beatrix Potter, 'No more twist', 1903. © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

     

     

  • William Hogarth, 'Noon'

    William Hogarth, 'Noon', 1738. Forster Collection F.118 (68) © The Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum

    William Hogarth
    'Noon'
    1738
    Engraving and etching
    Forster Collection F.118 (68)
    © The Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum

    Hogarth depicts a procession from a French church in St Giles-in-the-Fields. Beatrix Potter adapted the picture for her frontispiece illustration.