The Tailor's Mouse — Beatrix Potter (The Tailor of Gloucester)

A very learned little mouse

Perched on a reel of red cotton, between a thimble and a pair of scissors, a small brown mouse peers through his spectacles at the latest issue of The Tailor & Cutter, the trade paper of the tailoring world. This delightful image opens The Tailor of Gloucester, published by Beatrix Potter in 1903: it is the frontispiece of the book. Potter had first drawn the scene a decade earlier, with the mouse sitting on a little wicker chair, then replaced the chair with a cotton reel to fit her new story.

Beatrix Potter's own favourite

Inspired by a true story Potter heard in Gloucester, the tale follows a poor, elderly tailor who falls ill before he can finish a splendid cherry-coloured coat for the Mayor's wedding on Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, the mice he once rescued from his cat Simpkin come out at night and stitch the coat for him, leaving just one buttonhole undone for want of thread. Potter often said it was her favourite of all her little books, and its gentle Christmas atmosphere has made it a classic.

Why it works so well on a wall

Soft browns, a touch of raspberry red and delicate watercolour flowers in each corner: this print brings warmth to a nursery, a child's bedroom or a cosy reading nook. It is also the perfect gift for anyone who sews, knits or runs a dressmaking studio, and a lovely Christmas present for Beatrix Potter lovers. A natural wood or white frame keeps it light and timeless.

• Artist: Beatrix Potter (1866–1943)
• Work: Frontispiece of The Tailor of Gloucester
• Date: 1903 (after a drawing of c. 1893–94)
• Medium: Watercolour and pen and ink
• Design: Wallango edition with watercolour floral corners

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