Silly verses for children with amusing illustrations of rabbits doing human activities, like playing chess and blowing dandelions. Anthropomorphic animals appear fairly infrequently before 1850 but were beginning to become more widespread in the 1890s, with the most obvious example being the work of Beatrix Potter. The interest in anthropomorphising rabbits is perhaps rather a curious phenomenon in British culture.
Pettafor (1842) was a professional artist, a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. He must have been moderately successful, living in a respectable but unglamorous suburb: he exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, and his daughter Mabel (who was confident enough to describe herself as “Artist” in the 1901 census) exhibited once.
Nelson, 1900.9. WorldCat lists 5 copies, 3 in the UK. Chipping to lower corner of front board. Very good copy of a fragile and fugitive item.
