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Story of Golden Locks

Seymour Joseph Guy American, born England
ca. 1870
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 763
The English-born Guy was celebrated in his lifetime for his appealing and technically accomplished paintings of childhood. Here, the artist has depicted his own children reading a version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." The young girl’s menacing bearlike shadow and the boys’ wide eyes suggest that they have reached the story’s frightening climax. In addition to the didactic message of the fairy tale—warning children not to wander from home—Guy has presented his adolescent daughter on the verge of change, turning away from childhood games and assuming a more adult, maternal role.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Story of Golden Locks
  • Artist: Seymour Joseph Guy (American (born England), London 1824–1910 New York)
  • Date: ca. 1870
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 34 x 28 in. (86.4 x 71.1 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Daniel Wolf and Mathew Wolf, in memory of their sister, the Honorable Diane R. Wolf, 2013
  • Object Number: 2013.604
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

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The Crossing Sweeper, Seymour Joseph Guy American, born England, Oil on canvas, American
The Crossing Sweeper
Seymour Joseph Guy
ca. 1860s
Charles Loring Elliott, Seymour Joseph Guy American, born England, Oil on canvas, American
Charles Loring Elliott
Seymour Joseph Guy
1868
The Contest for the Bouquet: The Family of Robert Gordon in Their New York Dining-Room, Seymour Joseph Guy American, born England, Oil on canvas, American
The Contest for the Bouquet: The Family of Robert Gordon in Their New York Dining-Room
Seymour Joseph Guy
1866
Ernesta (Child with Nurse), Cecilia Beaux American, Oil on canvas, American
Ernesta (Child with Nurse)
Cecilia Beaux
1894
The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak, Albert Bierstadt American, Oil on canvas, American
The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak
Albert Bierstadt
1863

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