Le Chariot 1605 - 1650

Jean Morin etched “Le Chariot” in the 17th century, depicting a horse-drawn carriage struggling along a path, framed by a giant tree and two distant figures. The image is heavy with the symbolism of travel. The chariot itself is an ancient motif, a vessel of transformation, echoing the chariots of Apollo, conveying the sun across the sky. Similarly, the path is rendered as a symbol of destiny and transition, a motif found in countless myths and legends. The two distant figures represent the human condition—always striving, always progressing, and in tandem with the carriage, create a profound emotional experience of human effort and the cyclical nature of life. This image of the chariot and the road, with its resonance across time and cultures, reveals how certain archetypes continue to capture the human imagination, embedding themselves in our collective memory. It is a dance between tradition and transformation, a testament to how symbols evolve, adapt, and persist, engaging us on a subconscious level.