Carousel Goat c. 1938

This *Carousel Goat* by Donald Donovan looks like it was carefully rendered in watercolor. I love the muted palette, creams and reds, and the overall stillness of the composition. I can imagine Donovan standing in his studio, carefully studying the original object, thinking of how to capture the essence of this fantastical creation. The legs and the carefully shaded fur create the sensation of real movement. What I find the most compelling is the contrast between the wild energy of the goat and the refined detail of the saddle. It makes me think of the tension between freedom and constraint, and the duality of the human experience. The whole image reminds us that artists are always responding to each other across time, drawing inspiration and ideas from different sources to create something new and meaningful.