Alexandra "Xie" Rhoda Kitchin (29 September 1864 – 6 April 1925) was a notable 'child-friend' and favourite photographic subject of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequel ...

). She was the daughter of Rev.

George William Kitchin George William Kitchin (7 December 1827 – 13 October 1912) was the first Chancellor of the University of Durham, from the institution of the role in 1908 until his death in 1912. He was also the last Dean of Durham to govern the university. ...

(1827–1912), who was Dodgson's colleague at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, and later became

Dean of Winchester The Dean of Winchester is the head of the Chapter of Winchester Cathedral in the city of Winchester, England, in the Diocese of Winchester. Appointment is by the Crown. The first incumbent was the last Prior, William Kingsmill, Catherine Ogl ...

and

Dean of Durham The Dean of Durham is the "head" (''primus inter pares'' – first among equals) and chair of the Chapter, the ruling body of Durham Cathedral. The dean and chapter are based at the ''Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cu ...

, and his wife, Alice Maud Taylor, second daughter of Bridges Taylor, the British consul in Denmark at the time. Her godmother was

Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of King ...

, then Princess of Wales, who had been a childhood friend of her mother. Xie had three younger brothers: George Herbert, Hugh Bridges, and Brook Taylor, and a younger sister, Dorothy Maud Mary. All were featured in Dodgson's photographs. Dodgson photographed her around fifty times, from age four until just before her sixteenth birthday. The works they made together, often in

tableau Tableau (French for 'little table' literally, also used to mean 'picture'; tableaux or, rarely, tableaus) may refer to: Arts * ''Tableau'', a series of four paintings by Piet Mondrian titled '' Tableau I'' through to ''Tableau IV'' * ''Tableau vi ...

form, are commonly known to collectors, curators, and the contemporary artists who are inspired by them as the 'Xie' (pronounced 'Ecksy' — a diminutive form of Alexandra) pictures. It is commonly reported that Carroll once posed the question “How do you achieve excellence in photography?” and then provided this answer: “Put Xie in front of a Lens.” In truth, in a letter to her on June 16, 1880, he writes, "Here is a riddle—'What is the best way to secure ''Excellence'' in a photograph?' Answer: 'First you take a "lence," and then put "ecce" before it.'" He is punning on "ecce," the Latin word for "behold." She married Arthur Cardew, a civil servant and gifted amateur musician, on 17 April 1890. They had six children: Penelope (b. 1891), Christopher (b. 1894), Richard (1898–1918),

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...

(1901–1983), Philip (b. 1903) and Arthur (b. 1906). The family resided at 4 North View,

Wimbledon Common Wimbledon Common is a large open space in Wimbledon, southwest London. There are three named areas: Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, and Putney Lower Common, which together are managed under the name Wimbledon and Putney Commons totalling 460 ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, until Xie's death; they also had a country home at

Saunton Saunton is a village located approximately two miles from Braunton on the North Devon coast in the South West of England. Several kilometres long, the village borders Braunton Burrows, the heart of North Devon's Biosphere Reserve, the first ...

. She is buried at

Putney Vale Cemetery Putney Vale Cemetery and Crematorium in southwest London is located in Putney Vale, surrounded by Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park. It is located within of parkland. The cemetery was opened in 1891 and the crematorium in 1938. ...

. Unlike

Alice Liddell Alice Pleasance Hargreaves (''née'' Liddell, ; 4 May 1852 – 16 November 1934), was an English woman who, in her childhood, was an acquaintance and photography subject of Lewis Carroll. One of the stories he told her during a boating trip beca ...

Isa Bowman Isa Bowman (1874–1958) was an actress, a close friend of Lewis Carroll and author of a memoir about his life, ''The Story of Lewis Carroll, Told for Young People by the Real Alice in Wonderland''. She met Carroll in 1886 when she played a smal ...

and other Dodgson 'child-friends', Xie never published reminiscences of him.

In popular culture

* Subject of the play ''Xie'' by

Justin Sherin Justin may refer to: People * Justin (name), including a list of persons with the given name Justin * Justin (historian), a Latin historian who lived under the Roman Empire * Justin I (c. 450–527), or ''Flavius Iustinius Augustus'', Eastern Rom ...

Gallery

File:Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), Xie Kitchin, 1869, NGA 92358 (cropped).jpg, Xie Kitchin by

, 1869. File:"The Prettiest Doll in the World" MET DP259491.jpg, Xie Kitchin in ''The Prettiest Doll in the World '' by

on 5 July 1870. File:Carrol, Lewis - Xie Kitchin als »Ein Chinese« (Zeno Fotografie).jpg, Xie Kitchin in ''Tea merchant (on duty)'' by

on 14 July 1873. File:Kitchin, Xie 'Tea merchant (off duty)' (Lewis Carroll, 14.07.1873).jpg, Xie Kitchin in ''Tea merchant (off duty)'' by

on 14 July 1873. File:'Xie' Kitchin with Bucket and Spade LACMA M.2008.40.452.jpg, '' Xie Kitchin with Bucket and Spade '' by

in 1873. File:Xie_Kitchin.jpg, '' Alexandra Kitchin '' by

, 1873. File:St. George and the Dragon MET DP135035.jpg, Xie Kitchin as a princess, her brother Brook Taylor Kitchin as

Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

, her brother George Herbert Kitchin as the slain soldier, and her brother Hugh Bridges Kitchin wrapped in the leopard skin rug in ''St. George and the Dragon'' on 26 June 1875 by

. File:Xie Kitchin as Penelope Boothby, standing.jpg, ''Xie Kitchin as

Penelope Boothby Penelope Boothby (11 April 178513 March 1791) was a girl who has become one of the most famous child characters in British art. Her image inspired the paintings by Joshua Reynolds, Henry Fuseli, John Everett Millais, a sculpture by Thomas Banks, ...

'', by

on 1 July 1876. File:Xie Kitchin as Penelope Boothby.jpg, Xie Kitchin as ''Penelope Boothby '' by

on 1 July 1876. File:Xie Kitchin partly in the Penelope Boothby dress, on a garden chair, with Japanese sunshade.jpg, ''Xie Kitchin partly in the Penelope Boothby dress, on a garden chair, with a Japanese sunshade, by

on 1 July 1876.

References

External links

Sotheby's (London) Auction
— Lewis Carroll photograph of Xie Kitchin, 1870, up for auction November 12, 2007.
Christopher Cardew; Richard Cardew; Michael Cardew; Philip Cardew
1906 photograph at the National Portrait Gallery {{DEFAULTSORT:Kitchin, Alexandra 1864 births 1925 deaths People from Oxford English female models Lewis Carroll Burials at Putney Vale Cemetery