Sir John Tenniel

Sir John Tenniel (1820-1914) was one of the most popular and influential illustrators of the Victorian period. During his lifetime he created not only his most famous illustrations for the Alice books of Lewis Carroll, but also over two thousand striking political and social satires for Punch magazine. No other artist of his day commanded such respect as an illustrator.Tenniel emerges from this biography as an obsessively private and engimatic individual, and as true product of the...
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Sir John Tenniel (1820-1914) was one of the most popular and influential illustrators of the Victorian period. During his lifetime he created not only his most famous illustrations for the Alice books of Lewis Carroll, but also over two thousand striking political and social satires for Punch magazine. No other artist of his day commanded such respect as an illustrator.Tenniel emerges from this biography as an obsessively private and engimatic individual, and as true product of the Victorian age. His difficult relationship with Lewis Carroll is recounted in fascinating detail (including the fact that it was Tenniel and not Dodgson who was responsible for the withdrawal of the first printing of Alice in the Wonderland) and his Punch career is examined by themes, social and historical issues and in the light of Tenniel's own troubled life.This is the first full-illustrated biography of Tenniel and it includes numerous unpublished examples of the Alice illustrations. The book concludes with an invaluable complete catalogue listing of all the books and periodicals illustrated by Tenniel.'a thoroughly researched study, attractive in every way..' Paul Johnson, Sunday Telegraph'This will be the definitive biography for some time' Choice, American Library Association