Artwork
Still life study of a pickled fish and snake with a human skull
Still life study of a pickled fish and snake with a human skull is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Bertram Potter. It dates from 1889 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Created in 1889, this watercolour presents a still‑life arrangement of a pickled fish, a coiled snake and a human skull.
About this work
Bertram Potter painted a still life of a pickled fish and snake with a human skull in 1889.
Bertram Potter painted a still life of a pickled fish and snake with a human skull in 1889. It’s done in watercolour. The work mixes Impressionism and Realism.
Both Potter and his sister Beatrix studied natural history as kids. They often boiled, dissected, or preserved animals to learn their anatomy. This painting may show what they saw in their menagerie.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see this work.
Overview
Created in 1889, this watercolour presents a still‑life arrangement of a pickled fish, a coiled snake and a human skull. The composition blends elements of Impressionist brushwork with a realistic rendering of the objects, reflecting the artist’s interest in natural history and anatomical study.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes preserved animal forms with a human skeletal element, suggesting a contemplation of mortality and the scientific curiosity that characterized the Potter siblings’ upbringing. The inclusion of a pickled fish and snake hints at the brothers’ practice of preserving specimens for observation.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolour, the piece employs loose, luminous washes characteristic of Impressionism while maintaining precise detail in the rendering of the fish scales, snake skin and skull. This combination creates a tactile sense of the objects while preserving a fleeting atmospheric quality.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced by Walter Bertram Potter, the younger brother of Beatrix Potter, during a period when both siblings were deeply engaged in natural‑history pursuits. The work entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is currently held.
Context
Bertram Potter grew up in a household that kept a menagerie of exotic animals, and he and his sister often dissected and preserved specimens. This background informed his artistic practice, which, though later eclipsed by his sister’s fame, included larger oil paintings and etchings exhibited at the Royal Academy.
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Artist & collection
Artist
British watercolorist Bertram Potter painted precise, quiet studies of animals and plants in the late 1800s.
