'Mine is a long and sad tale!' said the Mouse, turning to Alice and sighing 

Arthur Rackham made this illustration of a scene from Alice in Wonderland using pen and ink. The medium allows for stark contrasts and fine lines, which Rackham uses to create a whimsical and slightly unsettling atmosphere. The texture is built up through layering of line work, almost like an etching, lending the image a tactile quality despite its simplicity. Note the contrast between the relatively smooth, rounded forms of Alice and the spiky, wiry texture of the mouse. The amount of work here involved in creating this level of detail is quite striking. Rackham was working at a time when illustration was a highly skilled profession, involving not just artistic talent but also technical mastery of reproduction processes. This image, with its careful linework and tonal variation, shows Rackham was deeply engaged with both the artistic and mechanical aspects of his craft.