Picturing Alice

Most people are probably familiar with Disney’s Alice, a blond girl in a blue dress with a pinafore (apron).

women in blue dress and white apron skipping — Alice in Wonderland at Disney World. Photo by Raymond Brown. 2008. CC-BY 2.0

Disney Animation’s Alice was based on the original illustrations of John Tenniel, a well-known political cartoonist who illustrated the first Alice books. Note that in later colored versions, she wears yellow.

text with humpty dumpty — John Tenniel. 1907 Printing. Via Wikimedia Commons

One of the most striking things about the original illustrations (which were created from woodblock prints) is that they were interspersed among the text in playful ways. John Tenniel was a political cartoonist as well.

text with left and right image of chess human hybrid figures — John Tenniel. 1907 Printing. Via Wikimedia Commons

Lewis Carroll’s Hand Drawings

Lewis Carroll illustrated a handwritten and drawn version that he gave to Alice Liddell. Alice’s Adventures Underground in 1864, before the book was published with the above drawings. His Alice is somewhat similar.