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Across four sections, the exhibition follows Beatrix Pot- ter’s journey from London to the Lake District, where she even- tually settled. The first section, “Town and Country”, provides a backdrop to her childhood in London’s South Kensington. “Under the Microscope” highlights her interest in the natural sciences. ‘Natural Storyteller’ reveals her almost accidental journey to beco- ming a best-selling author and finally, ‘Living Nature’ follows her around the Lake District and celebrates her profound impact on the natural landscape.
Artwork from some of her most famous storybooks, including The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck rub shoulders with objects and sketches of animals, places, art and the literature that inspired them.
This exceptional woman, determined to find success and respect in fields dominated by men, was a true «mouse of the cities» who wanted more than anything to become a «mouse of the fields». Beatrix Potter had over 92 pets in her lifetime.
She was also inspired by her domestic rabbits, Benjamin Bouncer and Peter Piper, but also by her mice and her little frogs.
The Mice at Work: Threading the Needle, The Tailor of Gloucester artwork, 1902. Watercolour, ink and gouache on paper
© Tate