Knox Martin’s interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s classic tales is a captivating divergence from his traditional large-scale, brightly-coloured public murals. Created between 1970 and 1972, this body of work transforms the whimsical, dreamlike narrative of Wonderland through the lens of Martin’s abstract expressionist and surrealist style. Instead of traditional representational illustrations, this series uses complex geometric shapes, dynamic line work and textured shading to represent Alice and the bizarre cast of characters she encounters.

Because Martin did not publish his Alice in Wonderland series as a single, standardised portfolio with a fixed page count, there is no definitive total number of pieces for the entire project. Instead, the collection exists as a loose suite or thematic body of work. These illustrations are rendered in multiple formats, including pencil drawings on paper, serigraphs or silkscreens, and etchings which he sometimes embellished in watercolour.

The exact count of original pencil and ink preparatory drawings is unknown, as they were independent studio pieces later sold to private collectors. The primary component of the project was a series of original etchings printed on paper, pulled in limited runs of fifty signed and numbered prints per design.

Alongside the etchings, Martin created a parallel group of screenprints, sometimes catalogued as the Alice in Wonderland for Adults series. These were printed in slightly larger editions, often limited to 125 signed copies per print. These prints often lean into more mature, surreal, explicit interpretations of Wonderland, pushing well past the traditional children’s book aesthetic.