There is a certain irony to the fact that the two 20th-century artists who have given their names as instantly recognizable descriptions should have been Franz Kafka and William Heath Robinson, for what each describes could scarcely be more different. With Heath Robinson we are in a world of ingenious (often childish) fantasy; but a fantasy that had a bedrock in his skill as a draughtsman. Hamilton has produced a scholarly and profusely illustrated account of the artist's life in which the bizarre contraptions for which he is best known are put into the context of his work as a book illustrator (usually of fantastical stories from Baron Munchausen to P G Wodehouse) and his exemplary suburban existence in North London (he didn't see a mountain until he was 60). He emerges as somehow quintessentially English, a placid exterior hiding a mass of dreams. (Kirkus UK) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
A sweeping pictorial monograph on the celebrated British illustrator, who was famous for his drawings of fantastic contraptions used for performing the simplest functions. Featuring a new cover and 145 examples of the artist’s work.
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