The Remarkable Robinsons

In my last post I said that one of the artist illustrators I most wish had made his own illustrations of Alice in Wonderland was Aubrey Beardsley. I copied the Ralph Steadman illustration that accompanies the Wool and Water chapter in Looking Glass which I believe owes a little to Aubrey Beardsley. I also mentioned that there’s a wonderful illustration by Charles Robinson which I believe also owes a debt to Aubrey Beardsley. I’ve spent several hours today doing my best to copy it. This is the best that I can do.

Charles Robinson was one of three artist brothers born in London. He was the middle brother, although there was less than four years between all three. His older brother was Thomas Heath Robinson – and we’ll come to him in a minutes – and his younger brother, William Heath Robinson was probably the most well known of the three. Wiliam Heath Robinson is remembered for his remarkable drawings of fantastical inventions, and any contraption which seems to be cobbled together from an assortment of ill matched items is still often labelled a ‘Heath Robinson’ contraption.

In the last day or so I’ve looked at quite a few illustrations by Charles Robinson, and I’m pretty sure he was influenced by Beardsley. As for this illustration, made for a 1907 edition published by Cassell, I think it’s remarkable. Alice looks positively demonic! I also think that the ripples in the water – which I presume is the pool of Alice’s tears – and the reflection of Alice herself – are a real tour de force. Look at illustrations like this, and you can understand why this period is known as the Golden Age of British illustration.

Thomas, professionally known as T.H. Robinson, also illustrated Alice in Wonderland, just a year later than Charles did, in 1908. The illustrations that I’ve seen aren’t quite a startlingly magnificent as the Charles Robinson illustration that I copied, but they’re not without their appeal. I like T H Robinson’s caterpillar, and I really like the original of this sketch I copied of Alice opening up like a telescope, and being called a serpent by a pigeon. I think that the viewpoint is brilliantly chosen.