This witty and appealing pocket diary pairs John Tenniel's iconic illustrations for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with a wonderful selection of objects from the rich collections of the V&A.

Victorian author Lewis Carroll had originally drawn his own illustrations for the first 'Alice' manuscript, but recognized the need to engage a professional artist, John Tenniel, for the published version. Carroll's text was often light on description, and Tenniel invented his own characterisations, drawing from a vast range of sources, including fine art, natural history, heraldry and caricature.

Once committed to paper, the illustrations were carved into woodblocks by engravers, and electrotype copies made to be used by the publishers for printing. The National Art Library at the V&A holds a copy from the year of first publication, 1866.