By Ava Evangelista
Born in 1820, John Tenniel grew up in London. Tenniel had very little education in the arts and was mostly self-taught. His most noteworthy techniques include detailed line work and the combination of realism and imagination. The combination of these two contrasting concepts is what gave Tenniel’s outlandish artwork a realistic feel.
Tenniel got his start drawing for a British satirical magazine called Punch. He spent around 50 years at the company as a chief cartoonist. People began to recognize Tenniel for his symbolic imagery showcased in the cartoons.
Tenniel’s work in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland continues to be his most popular accomplishment. Carroll felt Tenniel’s imagination would bring his story to life. He created his drawings for Alice’s Adventures using a wood-engraving process. This means his drawings were carved onto a wooden block to be printed onto. This gave Tenniel’s drawings the crisp linework for which he is known. His creative characters with a dark undertone allowed him to capture Lewis Carroll’s story in totality.
Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (New York: D. Appleton, 1866) Tulane University Special Collections (William B. Wisdom) PZ8.D666 A1c