Drawings from classic children's books go on display at Longleat
New exhibition celebrates children's stories
Original drawings of Winnie-the-Pooh and the Mock Turtle from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland celebrating children’s stories have gone on display at Longleat House.
The exhibition at the Wiltshire attraction showcases a selection of original drawings for children’s books collected by Henry Frederick Thynne, 6th Marquess of Bath and runs until the 8th of January.
It features unique works by seven artists, including some of the most important names in the history of illustrating stories for children.
“This small exhibition provides a rare opportunity to see an important part of the Longleat Collection that isn’t very well known,” said Longleat House Curator, James Ford.
“Thanks to the 6th Marquess’ passion for children’s literature, we’re lucky to have significant works by some of the most important artists ever to illustrate children’s books.
Original artworks are accompanied by the published books, drawn from the large and important collection of children’s literature formed by the 6th Marquess.
The drawings and books span a century of children’s book illustration, from the 1860s to the 1960s.
The earliest work on display is a drawing by John Tenniel for the character of the Mock Turtle in Lewis Carroll’s iconic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1866), one of the most successful and influential illustrated books of all time.
Works by Randolph Caldecott, Kate Greenaway and Walter Crane represent the late-Victorian and Edwardian Golden Age of British children’s book illustration.
These three artists were the most successful illustrators of ‘toy books’, inexpensive short children’s books with colourful illustrations. Often featuring fairy tales and nursery rhymes, they revolutionised children’s publishing and established many elements of the modern picture book.
The exhibition includes the little-known Longleat ‘black book’, which Crane created for his six-year-old son Lionel in 1882. Consisting of 56 watercolours depicting Lionel’s adventures, this is the first time it has been on public display.
Longleat is a haven for bookworms this Christmas as its hugely popular lantern trail, The Festival of Light, is themed around The Wondrous Worlds of Roald Dahl!
You can find out more about that on our website.