Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

13 1/4 x 10 in. Original pencil and gouache illustration signed by Trew with her monogram at lower right-hand corner. Matted. Overall, 17 1/2 x 14 1/2 in.

Renowned children's illustrator Cecil G. Trew was commissioned to create the present illustration of Alice Hargreaves in 1932, honoring the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland. The illustration appeared as the frontispiece to an article in the July 1932 issue of the Cornhill Magazine, which featured a lengthy section on the centenary of Carroll's birth as well as Alice's memories of the author and of her childhood, titled “Alice’s Recollections of Carrollian Days, as told to her son, Caryl Hargreaves." The image shows Mrs. Hargreaves reading a book (presumably a copy of one or other of the Alice books), with Alice and the rising deck of cards in the lower right, and various figures from the Alice books (after Tenniel) floating in the background. Starting with Bill the Lizard just above the book, and going clockwise, the White Rabbit, the Fish Footman, the Duchess, the Cheshire Cat, Tweedledum (or Tweedledee), the Dodo, and the Mad Hatter are all clearly visible. This portrait was discussed at length in a series of letters exchanged between Alice, her son Caryl, and the artist, which sold at Sotheby's in 1998 (sale 8600, lot 85).