Happy 171st Birthday to Alice Liddell – the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland! Born on May 4, 1852. Interesting that the story’s image of Alice is a matter of dispute. Obviously, it is not the illustration of the original Alice. Carroll sent a photograph of another child friend, Mary Hilton Badcock to the book’s illustrator, but whether or not the artist actually used it is cloudy. A letter Carroll wrote suggests the illustrator did not. Either way Alice Liddell had a life of adventure and helped to establish stories we know and love. You can read more about her life here and the illustration of the story in this article.
Alice Liddell (right) with her sisters circa 1859, photographed by Lewis Carroll
Liddell aged 7, photographed by Lewis Carroll in 1860
