The Elf King is a ballad written by the German poet, Goethe, in 1782. Put to music by Schubert in 1815. It tells the sad tale of a father riding home with his son in his arms (presumably the boy is ill). The boy sees feverish images of the Elven king, imagery of death, who tries to lure him to the 'other side'. The boy frantically cries out to his father for help. The Elven king is relentless and threatens to take the boy by force. When the father reaches his destination the boy has passed away.
Constant also made an etch of the Erlkönig.

Inspired by Schubert's Winterreise.

Circa 1989. Inspired by Schubert's Winterreise.

Circa 1989.
Inspired by Schubert's Winterreise.

"Der Wegweiser" is song 20 of the 24 songs from Winterreise by Franz Schubert. It's a tribute to the poet Wilhelm Müller on whose poems Winterreise is based. At the bottom of the watercolor Constant has written in pencil "Krähe lass mich endlich sehn Treue biss zum Grabe" which is actually a line from song 15, Die Krähe while in the picture Constant obviously depicts Der Wegweiser.

Circa 1984

ca. 1991