Alice in Wonderland sculpture

Bronze sculpture in New York City's Central Park

Alice in Wonderland

Artist| Jose de Creeft
Year| 1959 (1959)
Medium| Bronze sculpture
Subject| Alice in Wonderland
Location| New York City
Coordinates| 40°46′30.1″N 73°57′59.6″W﻿ / ﻿40.775028°N 73.966556°W﻿ / 40.775028; -73.966556
Owner| Central Park donated by George Delacorte

The Alice in Wonderland sculpture is located at Central Park in Manhattan, New York City, U.S. It is approximately at 74th Street, on the north side of Conservatory Water. The bronze statue stands eleven feet high and portrays Alice surrounded by the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat and other characters from the book enjoying a tea party.[1]

## History

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The statue was created in 1959 by José de Creeft under the commission of George Delacorte, so children could experience Alice in Wonderland in person. The sculpture was originally cast at the Long Island Modern Art Foundry in the Steinway Mansion.[2] The sculpture is unique because visitors are encouraged to interact with the statue. The statue is made of bronze and was derived from images John Tenniel created for the original publication. The face of Alice is actually based on Creeft's daughter, Donna.[1] The sculpture's Mad Hatter is a caricature of George Delacorte.[3]

At the base of the sculpture are engravings from Lewis Carol's poem Jabberwocky.[4] The sculpture was dedicated to George's wife Margarita whose name is located at the base of the sculpture. Additionally, there are six plaques located around the base of the sculpture that depict her favorite moments from Alice in Wonderland.[5]

## Controversies

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* The statue was the subject of a foiled terrorist plot in April 2020. Kevin Fallon was arrested for plotting to blow up the statue, as well as threatening to kill several others. He was sentenced to psychiatric care and evaluation.[6][7]
* There has been an ongoing debate since the sculpture was erected within the city of NY, over whether the statue depicts the White Rabbit, or the March Hare.[8]

## Gallery

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*   *   *   *

### See also

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* Central Park
* Central Park Boathouse
* Alice in Wonderland (franchise)

## References

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1. ^ a b "Alice in Wonderland". Central Park Conservancy. 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
2. ^ "The History Behind Central Park's Beloved Alice in Wonderland Sculpture". Viewing NYC. 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
3. ^ Xu, Susan (2017-04-25). "Alice in Wonderland Statue in Central Park Has Roots at the Modern Art Foundry in Astoria". Untapped New York. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
4. ^ Fishbein, Rebecca (2015-04-16). "The 16 Best Public Art Pieces In NYC". Gothamist. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
5. ^ "Alice in Wonderland (Central Park) – Dianne L. Durante, Writing Addict + Adept". Retrieved 2023-11-15.
6. ^ Burke, Kerry; Parascandola, Rocco; Tracy, Thomas (2020-04-14). "'I am lethal' — NYC man accused of plotting to blow up Central Park's Alice in Wonderland statue, kill parents and girlfriend". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
7. ^ "Man Threatened to Bomb Central Park 'Alice in Wonderland' Statue: Police". NBC New York. 2020-04-15. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
8. ^ Barron, James (2016-03-13). "Resolving the Nagging, if Minor, Mysteries of New York City". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-09-12.

* v
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Central Park

Manhattan, New York City

Geographical features

* Cedar Hill
* Conservatory Garden
* Conservatory Water
* Great Lawn and Turtle Pond
* Harlem Meer
* Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir
* McGowan's Pass
* North Woods and North Meadow
* The Pond and Hallett Nature Sanctuary
* The Ramble and Lake
* Rat Rock
* Sawkill (historical)
* Seneca Village (historical)
* Sheep Meadow
* Strawberry Fields

Sculptures and public art

* 107th Infantry Memorial
* Alice in Wonderland sculpture
* Angel of the Waters
* Balto
* Simón Bolívar
* Burnett Memorial Fountain
* Robert Burns
* Christopher Columbus
* Cleopatra's Needle
* Delacorte Clock
* Duke Ellington Memorial
* Frederick Douglass Memorial
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* The Falconer
* Fitz-Greene Halleck
* Alexander Hamilton
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Other features

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Events

* Be-Ins
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* SummerStage

Transport

| Border roads|

| Frederick Douglass Circle | 110th Street | Duke Ellington Circle

|
|

Eighth Avenue |

Central Park

| Fifth Avenue
Columbus Circle | 59th Street | Grand Army Plaza

Transverses|

* 66th
* 79th
* 85th
* 97th

Subway stations|

* Fifth Avenue–59th Street
* 59th Street–Columbus Circle
* 72nd Street
* 81st Street
* 86th Street
* 96th Street
* 103rd Street
* Cathedral Parkway–110th Street
* Central Park North–110th Street

Notable figures

* Elizabeth Barlow Rogers
* Andrew Haswell Green
* Jacob Wrey Mould
* Frederick Law Olmsted
* Ignaz Anton Pilat
* Starr Saphir
* Calvert Vaux
* Egbert Ludovicus Viele
* George E. Waring Jr.

Notable animals

* Barry
* Flaco
* Gus
* Mandarin Patinkin
* Pale Male
* Pattycake

Miscellaneous

* Birdwatching incident
* Conservancy
* Jogger case
* Medical Unit
* Popular culture

See also: New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

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Public art and memorials in Manhattan

Portrait sculpture

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Other monuments

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Fountains

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* Madison Square Park Fountain
* Peace Fountain
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Other works

* 5 in 1
* Alamo
* Alice in Wonderland sculpture
* Alma Mater
* Atlas
* The Baayfalls
* Bellerophon Taming Pegasus
* Charging Bull
* Columbus Circle globe
* Delacorte Clock
* Double Check
* Eagles and Prey
* The Emperor Has No Balls†
* Event Horizon
* Eye of Fashion
* The Family
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* Four Continents
* The Gates
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* Group of Bears
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* Throwback (1/3)
* Tightrope Walker
* Tilted Arc†
* Times Square Hum
* Times Square Mural
* Venus
* Vessel
* The Wall

| Damaged/destroyed in 9/11|

* Bent Propeller†
* Ideogram†
* Sky Gate, New York†
* The Sphere
* World Trade Center Plaza Sculpture†

|

Related

* Grand Central Terminal art
* Public art in Central Park
* West Harlem Art Fund
* Outdoor sculptures in Manhattan, NYC

Key: † No longer extant or on public display
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