Existing comment:
Ludolf de Jongh
A Young Boy, 1661
Because the Dutch believed that the values a person learned in childhood determined his ability to contribute to society in adulthood, they considered disciplined [sic] of the utmost importance.
This beautifully dressed little boy was trained his dog to sit up. The trained dog, then a well-known symbol of discipline, implies that the boy is himself also well disciplined. The rose at his feet makes this more explicit; just as a carefully tended rosebush results in beautiful flowers (left rear), a carefully tended child grows into a productive adult.
The style of the dress and the man's hat resting nearby identify the child as male. Boys commonly wore dresses in their early years. The inscription also tells us that the child is a six-year-old boy. |