‘Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature’ Exhibition in New York

Drawing of a walled garden, Ees Wyke, Sawrey, circa 1900, by Beatrix Potter. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

Spring has hopped into New York City along with The Morgan Library & Museum’s delightful exhibition “Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature.” Potter is the universally beloved writer and illustrator of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” and other children’s books.

The exhibit, which originated at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and has been traveling the world, showcases the origins of these stories, but there was much more to Beatrix Potter’s life and artistic output. This exhibition highlights her scientific studies, botanical illustrations, watercolors, marketing genius, and conservation efforts.

The School of Nature

A portrait of Beatrix Potter photographed by Rupert Potter, circa 1892. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

Beatrix Potter (1866–1943) was born into an affluent British family. Their primary residence was in London, but they spent months at a time holidaying throughout Britain, including letting houses in Wales, Scotland, and Northern England. The young Potter loved the countryside and the opportunities it provided to explore and learn about nature. She disliked city life and its societal obligations, feeling awkward and shy. Both of her parents were artistically inclined, and her father was an amateur photographer who often documented the family.

While in London, Potter and her brother spent much of their time in the third-floor nursery. There, they kept a menagerie of pets that over the years included birds, dogs, hedgehogs, frogs, lizards, mice, salamanders, snakes, a bat, and of course, rabbits. Her pet bunny, named Peter Piper, was later the inspiration for the character Peter Rabbit.

Pencil drawing of a bridge scene and hares at play, April 7, 1876, by Beatrix Potter. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

Potter’s pencil drawing of a bridge scene and hares at play is an amusing sketch from the artist’s childhood included in the exhibition. While she received some formal artistic instruction in her youth, Potter was mostly self-taught. As she grew older, she used her considerable skill as a watercolorist to document animal and botanical specimens as well as experiments.

Potter was particularly passionate about studying mushrooms, and this exhibit includes examples of her fungi watercolors. Though much of her scientific work was ignored at the time, today mycologists use her beautiful, accurate drawings for identification purposes.

Illustrated Letters

Design for a greetings card, 1890, by Beatrix Potter. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

With the aim of earning her own money, Potter’s first commercial and publishable ventures were the creation of Christmas and greeting cards in 1889 and 1890. Financial independence from her parents came unexpectedly with the phenomenal success of Peter Rabbit. The tale’s origin dates to one of her enchanting picture letters, of which The Morgan has a notable collection.

"Mrs. Rabbit Pouring Tea for Peter," 1902, by Beatrix Potter. Book illustration for "The Tale of Peter Rabbit." © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

In 1893, she composed an illustrated letter to the 5-year-old son of her former governess: “I don’t know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits, whose names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter.” The boy’s mother encouraged Potter to turn the story into a book.

Miniature letters, 1905–1912, by Beatrix Potter. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

From the start, part of the appeal of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” was Potter’s thoughtfulness about her readers. She insisted that the work be published in a small format convenient for little hands, and be affordable. Successful sales led to demand for more of her stories.

(L) An illustration of Mrs. Rabbit shopping for Windermere Fund in 1927 and a drawing of a hedgehog, assumed to be Mrs. Tiggy, circa. 904, by Beatrix Potter. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

In her lifetime, Potter wrote and illustrated a total of 28 published books, including 23 tales. She created other popular characters, including Jemima Puddle-Duck, Mr. Jeremy Fisher, Squirrel Nutkin, Tom Kitten, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, and Appley Dapply. Further revenue came from her branding initiatives. Indeed, Peter Rabbit was the first fictional figure to become a patented stuffed toy. The year was 1903, which makes it the oldest licensed character. The Morgan exhibit includes wonderful merchandising examples such as period toys, board games, and even chintz.

Hill Top Farm

Drawing of Appley Dapply going to the cupboard, 1891, by Beatrix Potter. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

In 1905, Potter was able to purchase a home, Hill Top Farm, in her favorite region of Britain—the Lake District. She left London behind for good several years later. She had been introduced to North West England on her family holidays and had long loved the area. Elements of her new house and garden went on to feature in her work.

As she continued to experience success, Potter bought up vast tracts of land in her new community in order to preserve its ecology and farming culture. Particularly fond of a Lake District breed of sheep known as Herdwick, she became active in their preservation. Upon Potter’s death in 1943, she gifted the National Trust over 4,000 acres, 14 working farms, and a further 60 properties.

Hill Top Farm is now a museum treasured by the Lake District community and Potter fans from all over the globe. For those visiting The Morgan’s exhibit, the spirit of Hill Top has been lovingly recreated in the form of a dedicated space. It features objects from and photographs of the house, and it is even decorated with the William Morris wallpaper that can still be seen at Hill Top today.

Potter’s Gardenscapes

Drawing of a walled garden, Ees Wyke, Sawrey, circa 1900, by Beatrix Potter. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

An unexpected pleasure in the exhibit is the inclusion of several of Potter’s exquisite watercolors of natural landscapes and blooming gardens. Depicting different areas in the British countryside, their mastery of line and color confirms Potter’s great artistry. In the book “Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children’s Tales,” author Marta McDowell observes, “As well as characters, Beatrix Potter drew garden settings for Peter Rabbit from various holiday homes.”

Potter's illustration of Spring in Harescombe Grange, Gloucestershire, circa 1903, by Beatrix Potter. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

In preparing her book, McDowell poured over Potter’s published book illustrations. She was thrilled to be able to identify flora and other garden elements and match them to locations where Potter had lived or visited.

Sketch of the garden at Gwaynynog, Denbigh, probably March 1909, by Beatrix Potter. Watercolour over pencil. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum

The family-friendly “Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature” exhibit sheds new insights on the bestselling author and on the wonderful fine art she produced. Potter’s books of anthropomorphic characters remain enchantingly imaginative and her branding of them innovative. Notably, her passion for and protection of the natural world shines through in the displays. Potter was a woman ahead of her time. She gets her due in this exhibition as a timeless inspiration.

The “Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature” exhibition is at The Morgan Library & Museum until June 9, 2024. To find out more, visit themorgan.org.