Statue of Alice, more commonly known as the Alice in Wonderland Sculpture, was created in 1959 by a Spanish-born American artist, Jose de Creeft. Jose was born in Spain in 1884, and began learning the art of sculpting in 1896. He moved to Paris and continued his art education. During that time period, all sculptors made their sculptures with clay, and the sculptors would then cast them in bronze or have them copied. In 1915, he discarded all the rules and began carving his sculptures in stone. In 1929, he moved to the United States, and he brought this new practice with him. He began teaching young artists how to carve their sculptures straight into their desired medium, as opposed to sculpting their creations and having them copied. Over the years, he became known for his stone, wood, marble, and terra cotta carvings, such as Continuite and Poet. He was credited with bringing the direct sculpting method to life in America. Jose’s work has been shown in places throughout the world, including Rome, Paris, and here in the United States.
The philanthropist George Delacorte commissioned the Alice in Wonderland sculpture to be done in memory of his wife who had passed away. She always used to read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to her children when they were very young, and the Delacorte family loved the whimsicality and the story line. The statue was a gift for New York City’s children to enjoy in memory of Delacorte’s wife.
The Alice in Wonderland Sculpture is 11 feet tall. Jose de Creeft, although known for his direct carving methods, carved the statue the traditional way: in clay and cast in bronze. The sculpture depicts Alice – whose face was sculpted in the likeness of Creeft’s daughter – sitting on a mushroom amid her friends: the dormouse – who is nibbling on some food, the Mad Hatter – who was made in the likeness of George Delacorte, the Cheshire Cat, and the White Rabbit with his pocket watch. Lines from The Jabberwocky are engraved all around the side of the sculpture.
George Delacorte wanted this sculpture to be in a place where the sculpture could be seen and enjoyed by children of all ages. Generally, children are not allowed to touch art, especially in museums. That being the thought in the forefront of his mind, Central Park seemed to be the perfect place for the Alice statue. Central Park is one of the most visited places in New York City, especially by families. He wanted the whimsical story to come to life for the children of New York City, so he and Jose de Creeft created a sculpture that children could interact with. This sculpture was created specifically for children to be able to explore the wonder of art, and contribute to it by climbing on it. The sculpture has been polished over the years by the hands of feet of thousands of children.
