When Ron Fuller’s circus automata were to be featured on a set of postage stamps (2002), the commissioned photos did not capture the experience of the show in action. Ron then painted a brilliant set of gouache paintings of the lion tamer, the ballerina on horseback jumping through a hoop, and so on, that caught the wit seen by those who had put 20p in the slot. The only loss was that he was not permitted to give his version of the royal profile. As well as the mechanism, and the invention, his beautiful painting and meticulous drawing were integral to all his work.
