PolarBear
Major
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2007
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The following thoughts came about from seeing part of a carousel in the May/June issue of Yankee Magazine. The piece is from the carousel collection at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. In addition to being a good example of late 19th Century carousel art, it is also an interesting piece of memorablia related to the Spanish American War. The item in question is part of a Dentzel carousel built during or shortly after the 1898 war with Spain. It is a painted decorative panel depicting Uncle Sam tugging the ear of a Spanish matador. In the background are American warships. The fact that this particular piece of patriotic propaganda art adorns a carousel of the era is not surprising. What is of interest, however, is the connection that can be made specifically between the Spanish American War and the history of the carousel. Whether the manufacturer or patron was aware of the linkage is unknown.
For the fun of it, I decided to investigate a little of the history of carousels. I discovered that the word “carousel” is derived from an archaic Spanish word “carosella” which meant a “little war”.The carousel as we know it evolved from a device used to train medieval knights in the art of battle. Crusaders from Spain used a carousel-like device to prepare for combat against their Islamic foe.This is why horses have been an important part of carousels over the ages.
I was intrigued that carousel had meant a “little war” and that the term was Spanish in origin. For on July 27,1898, John Hay, U.S. Secreatey of State had written a letter to Theodore Roosevelt describing the recent Spanish American conflict as a “splendid little war". I doubt that Hay ever saw the Dentzel carousel nor realized how apropos his description was in the greater context of the history of warfare, Spain, and the origins of the carousel. It is just one of those intriguing moments in history when seemingly unrelated things come together.
Illustrations:
Uncle Sam panel from Dentzel Carousel c. 1898
John Hay, Secretary of State
Cartoon from Spanish-American War: Uncle Sam vs Spanish Matador
For the fun of it, I decided to investigate a little of the history of carousels. I discovered that the word “carousel” is derived from an archaic Spanish word “carosella” which meant a “little war”.The carousel as we know it evolved from a device used to train medieval knights in the art of battle. Crusaders from Spain used a carousel-like device to prepare for combat against their Islamic foe.This is why horses have been an important part of carousels over the ages.
I was intrigued that carousel had meant a “little war” and that the term was Spanish in origin. For on July 27,1898, John Hay, U.S. Secreatey of State had written a letter to Theodore Roosevelt describing the recent Spanish American conflict as a “splendid little war". I doubt that Hay ever saw the Dentzel carousel nor realized how apropos his description was in the greater context of the history of warfare, Spain, and the origins of the carousel. It is just one of those intriguing moments in history when seemingly unrelated things come together.
Illustrations:
Uncle Sam panel from Dentzel Carousel c. 1898
John Hay, Secretary of State
Cartoon from Spanish-American War: Uncle Sam vs Spanish Matador
Treefroggers really are an intelligent and well read group!