
Mythmakers Encore: John Tenniel
Episode · 2 Plays
Episode · 2 Plays · 17:07 · Aug 27, 2026
About
Let's celebrate the contribution to fantasy of our favourite illustrators. Today we start with the grandaddy of Oxford Fantasy Illustration, Sir John Tenniel, the illustrator behind the Alice in Wonderland images. Find out about the unfortunate accident in his youth that he hid from his father, his extraordinary memory and his artistic influences. Guess who was at his retirement dinner? It is quite a fantasy dinner party moment! 00:00 Introduction: Welcome to Mythmakers and Celebrating Illustrators 01:07 John Tenniel: The Man Behind Alice's Wonderland 02:22 A Victorian Life: Family, Tragedy, and the Fencing Accident 05:49 Artistic Influences: From Theatre to the Nazarene Movement 08:37 Breaking Through: The Houses of Parliament Competition 09:24 The Craft of Victorian Illustration: From Drawing to Woodblock 10:26 Meeting Lewis Carroll: The Perfect Collaboration 11:23 Words and Images United: The Alice Books as Visual Experience 12:22 A Knighted Legacy: Sir John Tenniel's Retirement and Recognition 13:28 Enduring Impact: Tenniel's Legacy in Fantasy Illustration For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
17m 7s · Aug 27, 2026
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