Peter Newell is one of my all time favorite illustrators. One of the few that I liked so much, I looked for other books he published. Im sure he was a funny man, with a big heart. There’s humor and kindness pouring out of every illustration he made.
I’m toying with the idea, that in a parallel universe, Newell’s Alice, might have been Carroll’s first choice. If Tenniel’s Alice seems a bit stiff at times, Newell’s Alice flows, and remains very fresh, 120 years after its publication. Doesn’t he look like a great guy?
The first page – a photo of Lewis Carroll. If im not mistaken, this should be the first time Carroll’s image was present in an Alice book, something that in later publications became popular.
Title page – Published by:
Harper & Brothers
My avid readers will notice that sometimes I write about the image at the top, and sometimes at the bottom. If you’re looking for some Alice book collection blog that’s super organized, well, I’ll make a list soon. For now, look at the illustrations around the text. Art Nouveau meets Art Deco. At least its how it comes across to me. The bursting nature is very Nouveau, while the mirroring, and centering of the objects, are Deco.
Every page has a framed illustrations around the text. There are 4 types that appear in repeat. Above is an image made of samples of them. All are naturalistic, and depict animals. I haven’t seen a real connection between those and Wonderland, but they are fantastic on their own right.
And so it begins. The book has dozens of illustrations. Here’s Alice chasing the white rabbit.
Alice shedding her tears
Alice, in her telescope moment
The W. Rabbit getting startled
Alice swimming by the mouse
Alice and the Dodo
A Mouse’s Tale
Alice making all the animals from the caucus race uncomfortable
“Why, Mary Ann, what are you doing here?”
Alice in the White rabbit’s house
Bill the lizard
Bill getting treated by the concerned folk
Alice and the puppy
Peter Newell’s Caterpillar is softer, and a child-like version of it, in my opinion, vs the stuffed up old one, Tenniel made him to be, and more in-line with Carroll’s text
Father William 1
Father William 2
Father William 3
” ‘Serpent!’ screamed the Pigeon”
The Doorman
Pig and Pepper – the Duchess and the cook. Newell made this scene a lot less disturbing than it really is
Alice and pig baby
The Cheshire cat, Newell seems to have embraced Tenniel’s one, hasn’t he?
A Mad Tea Party
The three sisters living at the bottom of the treacle well
Painting the roses
” ‘Off with her head!’ “
Playing croquet
Playing Croquet 2
Newell gave the croquet scene 4 full illustrations, here are the hedge-hogs up close
Croquet playground 4th illustration, ‘tut tut child’!
Alice, the Mock Turtle, and the Gryphon
” ‘ Will you walk a little faster,’ said a Whiting to a Snail! “
Alice conversing with the turtle and gryphon
” ‘Come on!” cried the Gryphon”
The Trial – What marvelous depiction of the card royalty
The poor hatter, at the trial
Guinea pig inserted in a sack!
The jury getting upset
“At this the whole pack rose up into the air”