Merry-Go-Round

This work was painted at the height of the First World War, which seems to be its subject. Men and women in rigid poses, their mouths crying in silent unison, seem trapped on a carousel that revolves endlessly. Gertler was a conscientious objector. He lived near London’s Hampstead Heath from the winter of 1914-1915, and may have been inspired by an annual fair held there for wounded soldiers. A letter from the writer D.H. Lawrence to Zoe Akins of 15 September 1915 describes it: “There is a fair on behalf of the wounded soldiers today, and myriads of the wounded, in their bright blue uniforms and red scarves, and bands, and swing boats, and a whole rowdy enjoyment. It is queer.” Both the colors and his remarking about the odd contrast between wounded soldiers and public enjoyment connect this comment with his friend Gertler's painting. The fairground ride, traditionally associated with pleasure and entertainment, is horrifically transformed into a metaphor for the relentless military machine. Gertler explained, “Lately the whole horror of war has come freshly upon me.”