The merchant and the beast 1921

Curator: This is "The Merchant and the Beast", a watercolor by Margaret Evans Price, created in 1921. What's your immediate take? Editor: Fairy tale vibes, absolutely! But tinged with something unsettling. Is it just me, or does that lion-man look both regal and faintly… annoyed? And that merchant—such a posture of complete supplication. The colors are so gentle but the situation looks fraught! Curator: Yes, the juxtaposition is interesting. This scene directly echoes the “Beauty and the Beast” narrative – particularly the moment when the merchant, stealing a rose for his daughter, incenses the Beast. Notice the roses. There is the lovely cluster of pink ones, but yellow ones too... Did the merchant select both types, leading to double offense? Roses are symbolic in many cultural traditions. Editor: The roses are wonderful - a sort of character in the story. They soften everything, even that massive paw raised in—is it anger? Exasperation? You're right about that posture of submission – like a Medieval illumination, a kind of flattened, emotional tableau. It really evokes the theatricality of storytelling. Are we supposed to feel sorry for him or think about the underlying cause of this potential violence? Curator: Exactly. The symbols resonate: The rose representing beauty, the beast as concealed humanity, or the inherent violence of unchecked wealth. What did the merchant promise in return for his safety, after all? Whose "beauty" will pay for the stolen roses? Editor: I love how it plays with scale too, as the artist gave an impressive monumentality to the figures even though the colors are washed out in a style resembling classic book illustration. Like a dream of power, played out in a child's picture book. Makes you wonder who the true beast really is… Curator: Food for thought, indeed! These illustrations are an important reminder of visual and cultural heritage. Editor: Precisely. This has me wondering about beauty standards themselves, then and now...Thanks!