NARRATOR:
If you find yourself liking this rosy-cheeked little boy, you’re not alone. He’s a Museum favorite. He emerges from a velvety, obscure background, with a bright face and open gaze, and greets us without hesitation or shyness. Many have thought he was Rembrandt’s own son, Titus, but we’re pretty sure he’s not. Titus would have been older than this boy at the time of this painting.
There are clues that this portrait was once part of a larger canvas: The right side of the canvas has been trimmed and the cut interrupts full brushstrokes. But the ambiguities in this arresting portrait aren’t all hidden. Take a look at the right side of the painting, near the boy’s shoulder. Something’s perched there, but it’s hard to tell what, exactly. It might be a parrot—or it could be the Rembrandt family’s monkey, which apparently died around the time of this portrait. Although this was likely a commissioned work, Rembrandt may have worked in this personal detail in memory of the beloved pet.
You might think the painting seems unfinished—and it is. The boy’s body and dress are in rough form, marked with just a few, broad brushstrokes. His collar, head, and hair, meanwhile, have more definition and have been softened by layers of glaze. But ultimately, it’s the boy’s face that received Rembrandt’s deftest touch. The relaxed and remarkably natural quality of his gaze is fully realized.
Portrait of a Boy
1655-60
Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669)
On View
In its unfinished state, this exceptional picture offers invaluable insight into Rembrandt's working method. Over the rich, dark ground, the body and costume have been indicated merely with a few broad, sure brushstrokes. The collar, hair and head have been developed further, with layers of scumbles and glazes, while the face, particularly the eyes, has been fully modeled and highly finished. The child's face, bathed in an even, frontal light, radiates from the velvety darkness of the background. This unusually straightforward presentation reflects and enhances the engaging charm and openness of the ingenuous child, who eagerly presents himself to the viewer.
Details
- Artist Name: Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669)
- Title: Portrait of a Boy
- Date: 1655-60
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 25-1/2 x 22 in. (64.8 x 55.9 cm)
- Credit Line: The Norton Simon Foundation
- Accession Number: F.1965.2.P
- Copyright: © The Norton Simon Foundation
Object Information
Anonymous collection, near The Hague, sold to;
Mr. Barker, sold ca. 1830 to;
George Spencer (1758-1834), 2nd Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire, by inheritance to his son;
John Charles (1782-1845), 3rd Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire, by inheritance to his son;
Frederick Spencer (1798-1857), 4th Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire, by inheritance to his son;
John Poyntz Spencer (1835-1910), 5th Earl Spencer, by inheritance to his brother;
Charles Spencer (b. 1857), 6th Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire, sold September 1915 for £35,000 to;
Sir Herbert Frederick Cook (1868-1939), 3rd Bt., Doughty House, Richmond, Surrey, gift to his son;
Sir Francis Ferdinand Maurice Cook (b. 1907), 4th Bt. And Visconde de Monserrate in Portugal, Le Coin, Jersey, C.I., gift to his seventh wife;
Dame Bridget Brenda Cook (sale, London, Christie’s, 19 March 1965, lot 105, sold to);
The Norton Simon Foundation.
Mr. Barker, sold ca. 1830 to;
George Spencer (1758-1834), 2nd Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire, by inheritance to his son;
John Charles (1782-1845), 3rd Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire, by inheritance to his son;
Frederick Spencer (1798-1857), 4th Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire, by inheritance to his son;
John Poyntz Spencer (1835-1910), 5th Earl Spencer, by inheritance to his brother;
Charles Spencer (b. 1857), 6th Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire, sold September 1915 for £35,000 to;
Sir Herbert Frederick Cook (1868-1939), 3rd Bt., Doughty House, Richmond, Surrey, gift to his son;
Sir Francis Ferdinand Maurice Cook (b. 1907), 4th Bt. And Visconde de Monserrate in Portugal, Le Coin, Jersey, C.I., gift to his seventh wife;
Dame Bridget Brenda Cook (sale, London, Christie’s, 19 March 1965, lot 105, sold to);
The Norton Simon Foundation.
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