Hermès Arceau Grand carrosse royal

The first whinnies, the second laughs. A third more daring one appears to have lost its way. But to what destination is this improbable cavalcade escaping, this wild team of four horses? Why this frantic pace? Where is this coach heading?

The answer lies somewhere between Paris and Copenhagen. Between France, home to Hermès, and the native Denmark of Claus Rye, an illustrator renowned for his drawings of animals that borrow familiar expressions from humans.

Claus Rye designed the freewheeling «Grand carrosse royal» (grand royal carriage) motif for a Hermès silk scarf. It depicts the unusual carriage in which the coachman is replaced for an impromptu ride by a team of horses that has become a crew. Playful horses spill out of a carriage submerged in a welter of hooves, manes and twirling tails. Multiple expressions emanate from this breathless cavalry, alternating between joy, laughter, surprise and astonishment.