Little Red Riding Hood 1864

Thomas Sully painted this Little Red Riding Hood, we don't know exactly when or for what, but it's interesting to consider how the folktale resonates in early 19th-century America. The story, with its roots in European peasant culture, speaks to anxieties about vulnerability, particularly for young women navigating a world of hidden dangers. Sully, a successful portraitist catering to the American upper class, presents a sanitized version. The girl's gaze is open and innocent, lacking the fear or cunning often associated with the character. The red hood, a symbol of danger, here seems almost decorative, part of a carefully arranged composition. To truly understand this painting, we need to delve into the cultural context: the rise of the middle class, the sentimentalization of childhood, and the increasing emphasis on female virtue. Looking into these sources, we can understand how the meaning of art depends on its social life.