Who illustrated the original edition of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'?

John Tenniel illustrated the original published edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Tenniel was already a prominent English illustrator and cartoonist, especially known for his work in the satirical magazine Punch, when Lewis Carroll asked him to illustrate the book. Carroll supplied the story and closely discussed the visual treatment, but Tenniel created the definitive engraved images that shaped how generations imagined Alice, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, and the other characters.

The 1865 edition contained 42 wood-engraved illustrations. Tenniel’s work was reproduced through wood engraving, a demanding process that translated his detailed drawings into printable blocks. He also illustrated Carroll’s sequel, Through the Looking-Glass, published in 1871.

Carroll had illustrated the earlier handwritten manuscript, Alice’s Adventures Under Ground, himself, so he is sometimes mistakenly credited as the original illustrator. Later artists—including Arthur Rackham and Beatrix Potter—produced notable editions, but neither illustrated the original published Alice book. The familiar black-and-white visual identity of Wonderland belongs chiefly to Tenniel.