Inspired by Giacometti's weather-beaten figures, Dubuffet's art brut and the technology and detritus of the modern metropolis, Paolozzi's Robot encapsulates his vision of modern, urban man. Paolozzi Robot is modelled from a miscellany of machine parts, illustrating the type of materials that inspired the artist, and is an early example of a theme which would come to dominate his work. As Paolozzi explained in 1958:

`A list of objects which are used in my work. a metamorphosis of rubbish - dismembered lock, toy frog, rubber dragon, toy camera, assorted wheels and electrical parts, clock parts, broken comb, bent fork, parts of a radio, old RAF bomb sight, gramophone parts, model automobiles, and various unidentified found object.' Eduardo Paolozzi, from a lecture at the ICA, , no.1, 1958

Above all what concerns Paolozzi is `the golden ability of the artist to achieve a metamorphosis of quite ordinary things into something wonderful and extraordinary that is neither nonsensical nor morally edifying.'

Robot anticipates Paolozzi's major sculptures of the coming months including The Philosopher (1957) in the British Council Collection and Cyclops (1957) in the Tate Gallery.