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“I mean my C-A-T.” “Tea?” In one of the delightfully absurd exchanges from Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland (1951), Alice attempts to discreetly whisper into the Mad Hatter's ear during his famously chaotic tea party. This charming original production animation drawing captures Alice at approximately the 46:47 timestamp, as she carefully tries to avoid upsetting the easily frightened Dormouse by spelling out the word “cat” rather than saying it aloud. Having already witnessed the Dormouse's alarming reaction to the mention of her pet cat, Dinah, Alice thoughtfully attempts to continue her story without causing another disturbance. Unfortunately, her innocent efforts are once again derailed by the Mad Hatter's nonsensical interpretation, transforming an ordinary conversation into yet another example of Wonderland's delightful madness.
This wonderful drawing beautifully captures Alice's gentle, considerate nature, providing a charming contrast to the eccentric personalities surrounding her. Leaning forward with one hand raised to her mouth, Alice adopts a wonderfully conspiratorial expression as she whispers her secret to the Mad Hatter. Her mischievous sideways glance, delicately arched eyebrows, and subtle smile convey both her youthful innocence and her growing awareness of Wonderland's peculiar inhabitants. The drawing is particularly appealing for its expressive facial animation, with Alice's beautifully rendered features executed in graphite pencil while delicate red-colored pencil construction lines define her arms, dress, and flowing skirt. The combination of finished character details and loosely developed body contours provides a fascinating glimpse into the traditional Disney animation process.
The original production drawing measures approximately 6" x 5" on a full 16-field animation sheet with three registration holes along the bottom edge. The artwork is identified as key drawing number 36, indicated by the circled number in the lower right corner, while additional production annotations appear along the right margin. A small penciled notation resembling “267” appears near Alice's collar, along with other animator's markings that offer insight into the drawing's role within the animated sequence. These production details, together with the expressive draftsmanship and delicate colored-pencil construction lines, make this a particularly desirable example of original Disney animation artwork.
Alice in Wonderland was Walt Disney Productions' thirteenth animated feature film, released theatrically on July 26, 1951. The film was inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the celebrated 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, as well as its 1871 sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. Disney adapted Carroll's imaginative literary world into a colorful, approximately 75-minute animated feature, carefully selecting and reworking characters, encounters, and dialogue to create a story accessible to younger audiences while preserving the whimsical absurdity of the original material. Among the film's most memorable sequences is the Mad Tea Party, featuring the Mad Hatter, March Hare, and Dormouse, whose illogical conversations and increasingly outrageous behavior perfectly embody the peculiar rules of Wonderland.
The voice of Alice was provided by Kathryn Beaumont, the talented young British actress who was only ten years old when Walt Disney selected her for the role. Born in London, England, Beaumont attracted Disney's attention following her appearance in the 1948 musical film On an Island with You. Impressed by her natural charm, expressive voice, and youthful appearance, Disney selected her not only to voice Alice but also to serve as the character's live-action reference model, allowing the animators to study her movements, gestures, and facial expressions. Beaumont subsequently provided the voice and live-action reference for Wendy Darling in Disney's Peter Pan (1953), becoming closely associated with two of the studio's most beloved young heroines. She later reprised her role as Alice in Disney's House of Mouse and voiced both Alice and Wendy in the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise. Beaumont continued providing the characters' voices until 2005, when Hynden Walch succeeded her in those roles.
Alice's distinctive visual appearance was developed through the contributions of several exceptionally talented Disney artists. Mary Blair, whose imaginative use of color and stylized compositions profoundly influenced the film's artistic direction, created memorable conceptual artwork that helped establish Wonderland's extraordinary visual identity. Legendary animator Les Clark also contributed to the development of Alice, while Ollie Johnston, Don Lusk, and Marc Davis were among the accomplished animators responsible for bringing the character to life. Their combined efforts created a heroine whose naturalistic movements, believable expressions, and youthful personality provided an essential emotional anchor amid the film's wildly exaggerated supporting cast.
The animation of Alice in this particular tea party sequence has been attributed to veteran Disney animator Don Lusk, whose remarkable career spanned some of the studio's most important productions. Lusk joined Walt Disney Studios in the 1930s, contributing to Donald Duck shorts and the groundbreaking animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). His subsequent work included animation of Cleo and Figaro in Pinocchio (1940), the Arabian Dance sequence in Fantasia (1940), and the majestic Great Stag in Bambi (1942). He continued working on Disney animated features through One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), developing a reputation for expressive character animation and exceptional draftsmanship. Lusk passed away in 2018 at the remarkable age of 105, leaving behind an extraordinary artistic legacy. While this drawing is consistent with the production work associated with his Alice animation, definitive attribution of the individual sheet to Lusk would require additional production documentation.
This delightful original animation drawing represents a particularly appealing moment from one of Disney's most imaginative animated classics. Rather than depicting Alice in a dramatic or action-filled scene, the artwork captures a subtle expression of her personality: a thoughtful young girl attempting to exercise a little courtesy in a world where courtesy and common sense rarely prevail. Her playful expression, beautifully articulated features, and intimate whispering gesture perfectly illustrate the character animation that made Disney's Alice so endearing. As an original production drawing from the unforgettable Mad Tea Party sequence, it offers a wonderful connection to the artistry, humor, and enduring charm of Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland.
