“Advice from a Caterpillar”
This illustration, titled “Advice from a Caterpillar”, is by the English illustrator, Sir John Tenniel. It is from the fifth chapter of the first edition of Lewis Carroll’s book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, originally published in 1865.
Tenniel initially created the images in pencil and would finalize them using black ink and Chinese white, which is a pigment made of zinc oxide. Once the images were complete, they were transferred to woodblocks using tracing paper, to be engraved. The Dalziel Brothers, who ran one of the most prestigious workshops in England at this time, engraved the design on woodblocks for publication.
The text accompanying “Advice from a Caterpillar” reads as follows:
“The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last, the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.
“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar”.
Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, had originally began drafting his own illustrations for his children’s book, but was persuaded by the engraver he was working with, Orlando Jewitt, to hire a professional illustrator. John Tenniel was an up-and-coming illustrator at the time who had achieved notoriety for his political cartoons in the weekly publication of the Punch magazine. Carroll was familiar with his work in Punch, so he was chosen for the task. He was paid £138 for his drawings.
Since Carroll already had illustrations in mind, he gave such specific instructions to Tenniel that their relationship became strained. The illustrations, however, along with the novel became a huge success partly due to the perfectionist attitude of both artists, and it is said that both Queen Victoria and Oscar Wilde were among those who loved it. If Tenniel’s work looks familiar, it should, as the 1950s Disney movie, Alice in Wonderland, follows Tenniel’s interpretations closely.
“Advice from a Caterpillar” remains an iconic image today.
For more on Sir John Tenniel, please visit his short biography here.
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