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The photographs:
Famous Men and Fair Women
Julia Margaret CAMERON
British, 1815–79
Alethea (Alice Liddell), 1872
albumen silver photograph
23.8 x 32.5cm
The Wilson Centre for Photography
97:5637
As a child, Alice Liddell (1852–1934), was frequently photographed by Lewis
Carroll (Charles Dodgson). She is the young 'Alice' for whom he wrote
his books Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.
Cameron photographed Alice when she was in her early twenties as Alethea,
in this profile study. We have not discovered any historical personifications
of Alethea in the visual arts, but in ancient Greek the word invokes honesty
and sincerity. At the same sitting, Cameron made another similar frontal
study of Alice titled Pomona.
The mount of this print is inscribed 'very beautiful' by the Victorian portrait painter, George Watts.
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