The Remarkable Rocket 1913

Charles Robinson made "The Remarkable Rocket" using watercolour and ink, and it's just bursting with detail. Look closely, and you'll see the pale, dreamy palette, with these tiny, precise ink lines creating a real sense of texture, even an air of fantasy. I find myself drawn to the way the reindeer's harness is rendered – all these delicate swags and tassels, picked out in the daintiest detail. Robinson doesn't just describe; he embellishes, creating a surface that invites you in, makes you want to touch it, even though you know you can't. It reminds me that making art is an act of love, a commitment to detail, and a generosity of spirit. There is something about the theatrical staging and overt exoticism that reminds me of Erte. Both artists seem to share a love of pattern and ornament and a sense of art as transformative and immersive. You could get lost in these images, and that is entirely the point.