Exhibition label:
For Alice’s encounter with the Blue Caterpillar, Tenniel radically alters the visual perspective from Carroll’s drawing the manuscript. Tenniel also subtly shifts the moment depicted, showing the Blue Caterpillar removing the hookah to begin the unencouraging start to their conversation: “Who are you?”
Image credit:
John Tenniel (1832—1914)
The Blue Caterpillar
Final drawing (graphite on paper), 1864-1865
The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Gale, 1982.11:3.
Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.