Portrait of a Boy Holding a Parrot (Primary Title)
Portrait of a Boy, aged 2 ¼, Holding a Parrot (Former Title)
Dirck Dircksz. Santvoort, Dutch, born 1610 or 1611, died 1680 (Artist)
The artist inscribed this portrait with his sitter’s age,
“2 ¼ years,” although the identity of the child remains
unknown. Contrary to more recent and familiar gender
norms, the child’s sumptuous outfit and elaborate
jewelry clearly indicate his status as a male heir of
the wealthy Dutch bourgeois class. The parrot perched
on his wrist is a reminder of the colonial trade routes
that were the major source of wealth for the Dutch
elite. It is also a symbol of the young boy’s program of
education; he will learn to mimic his parents’ behavior
just as the bird imitates the voice of its human keeper.
By the 1630s, Santwoort had established himself as
the premier painter of children in Amsterdam. In
17th-century Europe, portraits of very young children
like this one often served important commemorative
functions, since less than half survived until adulthood
and most premature deaths occurred before the age
of five.
The Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III Collection
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
