The horse: Companion & muse

The horse has been a integral part of human history for millennia, prized both for their agility, speed and endurance, or strength needed to pull a plow or a carriage full of people. However improved transportation options towards the end of the 1800s, especially the construction of railways, and the development of new mechanical innovations from the early twentieth century including the first mass-affordable automobile, ultimately superseded the four legged version of horsepower and ousting our daily reliance on the horse.

Stan Berriman ‘A man and a boy ploughing a field’ 1938

Stan Berriman, Australia 1898-1953 / (A man and a boy ploughing a field) 1938 — Stan Berriman, Australia 1898-1953 / *(A man and a boy ploughing a field)* 1938 / Gelatin silver photograph on paper / 10.9 x 20.6cm / Gift of the family of Stan Berriman in memory of Mrs V.E. Tremble 1986 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art

Even so, the horse is still part of our daily conversation today with a myriad of horse-related expressions that have been handed down to us over the ages ranging from ‘Get off your high horse’, to ‘Eat like a horse’ just to name a couple; and when Australia stops for one of the most famous races in the world on the first Tuesday of November, we are also reminded of popular horse racing terminology that has also made its way into our everyday language with ‘Jockeying into position’ and ‘Starting from scratch’; and who isn’t tempted to hang a horseshoe over the door for good luck?

Since we’ve gone all horsey, let’s take a look at some of the works in the QAGOMA Collection that feature the horse… they transport us around in carriages, we ride them, race them, study them, document their lives, they are a status and power symbol, our ally in war, we cherish them as close companions, and most importantly, they inspire us to create.

So, next time you visit us, see how many horses you can find, also check out our round-up of cats and dogs in the Collection.

Fairy Tales

If your love of the horse extends to the enchanting world of fairy tales — nothing goes together better than a horse and carriage — there will be a couple of coaches on view in our summer blockbuster, one encrusted in golden crystallised rock sugar (illustrated), and Cinderella’s pumpkin coach on the big screen at the Australian Cinémathèque. Exclusive to Brisbane, the ticketed ‘Fairy Tales‘ exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) in Brisbane (2 December 2023 until 28 April 2024) and the accompanying free film program ‘Fairy Tales Cinema: Truth, Power and Enchantment’ surveys how fairy tales from across the world have held our fascination for centuries through art and culture.