Four Jockeys c. 1889

Edgar Degas painted “Four Jockeys,” capturing a moment infused with anticipation. The jockeys’ caps, vibrant in color, are more than mere accessories; they are symbols of identity, each hue representing a stable or team, harking back to medieval heraldry where colors distinguished warring factions. Consider the motif of the horse, here stilled but pregnant with potential energy. Across millennia, the horse has been a potent symbol of power, virility, and freedom, from the steeds of the Greek gods to the warhorses of the Roman Empire. In a painting by Paolo Uccello depicting the Battle of San Romano, the horses are frozen in a balletic dance of war. The restrained energy in Degas's painting evokes a primal tension. The collective breath held before the race mirrors our own subconscious yearning for the thrill of the contest, a deeply ingrained aspect of the human experience.