Alice in Wonderland: on the trail of Lewis Carroll

[Michael Wong]

As Tim Burton's new film, based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, hits the UK cinema screens, the National Media Museum, Bradford will be celebrating it by holding special Hidden Treasure Tours on Saturday 6th & 13th March, Sunday 7th &14th March. You will be able to see photographs taken by Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) of Alice Liddell who inspired the character of Alice in these tours.

Lewis Carroll was born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, on January 27 1832. On July 4 1862, a bright summer's day, Carroll and a university colleague, Canon Robinson Duckworth, took Alice, Lorina and Edith Liddell on a boat trip and picnic along the river Isis. It was on these river trips that Carroll developed his interest in photography and he soon began doing portraits of the Liddell girls. Many of the portraits he took, can be seen at the National Media Museum in Bradford. You will need to telephone in advance to arrange to view a large collection of his photography.

The National Portrait Gallery is also an important holding for photographs either taken by or featuring Carroll. He began taking photographs in 1856 and was soon producing far less stilted and artificial portraits than those taken by many professional portraitists of the time.

Further information can be found here:
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%2526+heritage/literature+%2526+music/art76288
http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/general/home.asp?WhatsOn=3

Photos:
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll. © NPG
The Liddell sisters by Lewis Carroll. © National Portrait Gallery