"Humpty Dumpty" Jumping Jack 1935 - 1942

Robert Gilson made this drawing of a Humpty Dumpty jumping jack. Isn’t it funny how a few lines can suggest such a simple but clever kind of movement? I love the way the red extends through the composition, moving from the blocks at the bottom up and into those quirky legs and arms. Look how the artist has used the grain of the wood, letting it add texture and detail to the surface of the object. There’s a real charm in the way the colours are used—understated, almost like a faded memory of a once vibrant toy. It reminds me a little bit of Giorgio Morandi’s still life paintings, with their muted tones and careful attention to the relationships between objects. Ultimately, it feels like the artist is inviting us to look at the world with a sense of playfulness, and to appreciate the simple joys of life.