Carousel Horse c. 1939

George Constantine painted this Carousel Horse, capturing a relic of joy and communal experience. The horse, with its rigid pose mid-gallop, is a symbol laden with history. Across millennia, the horse has represented power, freedom, and nobility. From the steeds of ancient gods to the warhorses of conquerors, its image resonates deeply within our collective memory. Even in this more recent, tamed form, traces of these older associations linger. Consider how the horse appears in classical equestrian statues, or even children’s toys – it’s a motif endlessly reinvented. Here, however, the carousel horse bears the marks of time. The peeling paint reveals a poignant vulnerability. It's as if the joyful energy it once embodied is slowly fading, carrying with it our own memories of youthful delight. This image evokes a feeling of ‘sehnsucht’ – a deep longing for something unrecoverable, engaging us on a subconscious level, reminding us of the cyclical progression of symbols and how they resurface.