Golden Boy | The Canadian Encyclopedia

Article

Golden Boy

Golden Boy, gilded 5.25 m statue atop the dome of the Manitoba Legislative Building. It was sculpted by Georges Gardet of Paris and cast in 1918 at the Barbidienne foundry in France.

Golden Boy

Golden Boy, gilded 5.25 m statue atop the dome of the Manitoba Legislative Building. It was sculpted by Georges Gardet of Paris and cast in 1918 at the Barbidienne foundry in France. The figure was in place when the building was officially opened in 1929, and in 1970, on Manitoba's centenary, the torch was electrically lit. The boy is a runner, like the messengers in Greek mythology. He carries a sheaf of golden grain in his left arm, while his right hand holds high a torch. Golden Boy is said to embody the spirit of enterprise and youth, and he faces north, where the future promise of his province lies.