Ahem - said the mouse with an important air 1907

Charles Robinson created this illustration, "Ahem - said the mouse with an important air", with what looks like watercolor and ink. The way he’s layered the colors feels very of-the-moment, immediate. It’s like he’s right there, chasing Alice and the mouse down the rabbit hole. The surface has this lovely, soft texture. Look at how he defines the mouse’s fur with these delicate, red-brown strokes, capturing its nervous energy. And then there’s Alice, rendered with such a gentle palette, her face a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. My eye keeps darting between her and that bossy mouse. He is composed of so many layers of short strokes that you can feel his presence! It’s not just about what they look like, but what they’re thinking and feeling. Robinson reminds me a bit of Arthur Rackham. They both knew how to bring a story to life, but with a kind of wink, as if to say, "It's all a bit mad, isn't it?" Art lets us embrace that madness.