What do you think of this Mark Gertler?
Merry-go-Round, by British artist Mark Gertler, portrays the what he saw as the nightmare of WW I. Both civilian and military figures are seemingly trapped on the merry-go-round.
Gertler, a conscientious objector, is thought to have painted the work after visiting an amusement park created specifically for disabled veterans.
What do you think of this painting?
We're not looking for art historians or academic answers. Whatever your thoughts, we want to hear them.
Post your comment. Let’s hear what you think!
Caption: Mark Gertler,British, 1916
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Reader Comments:
I viewed this painting at the Tate a few years ago, and no print or photo I have seen of it since manages to convey the horror and insanity on the faces of the riders, or the relentless madness of the horses on which they are continuously propelled around on.
The dark and muted colours and stylised stucture of the merry-go-round conjure up a repressed dreamlike atmosphere which is unsettling to see, as it draws you into the nightmaare.
Truly it must be the most evocative metaphor for the horrors of mechanised warfare ever to be committed to canvas.
This is one of my favourite paintings. So vivid.
The roundabout brings you back where you started, just like the trench warfare did.