A stunning collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative art from the 13th century to the present day.
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A stunning collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative art from the 13th century to the present day.
Heath Robinson
This exhibition was held at the Walker Art Gallery in 2004
27 May 2004 - 22 August 2004
Exhibition closed
Heath Robinson looks at different aspects of the artist's talents - from delightful children's book illustrations to drawings of crazy machines. Today Robinson is still most widely remembered for his wonderful humorous drawings. However, this type of work was only his third choice of career and one that he turned to almost by accident.
When he left art school in 1895, his ambition was to become a landscape painter. However, he soon realised that such painting would not pay the bills. He followed his two older brothers into book illustration where he quickly established himself as a talented and original artist.
Robinson created inimitable illustrations for poetry by Poe and Kipling, Andersen's Fairy Tales, A Midsummer Night's Dream, de la Mare's Peacock Pie, The Water Babies and Perrault's Fairy Tales. He is also loved for the children's books he both wrote and illustrated, The Adventures of Uncle Lubin and Bill the Minder.
Trained at the Royal Academy Schools, it was his skills as a draughtsman combined with his unique vision that accounted for his success both as an illustrator and humorist. As a graphic artist he was constantly experimenting, adopting different styles to suit his subject. Other exhibits include pieces of china and books illustrated by Robinson.
The exhibition has been organised in collaboration with the William Heath Robinson Trust - most of the artworks are from the Trust's collection.
