Jan van Ravensteyn: Boy with colfstok and ball (1626)

This painting is attributed to Jan Antoniszoon van Ravensteyn (The Hague 1572-The Hague 1657). It shows the portrait of an unknown boy with colfstok and ball.

The unidentified boy is dressed in skirts and has a hat on. He stands next to a chair and in front of a wall, along which we just look into the house. Many attributes are scattered throughout the image. There are attributes that are worn by himself (such as the medal on the chain over his left shoulder) and things that he holds (such as the stock stick in his right hand).

Furthermore, things have been placed with the child, both in the front and in the background. At his feet, a matching flask ball and a well-behaved, black-and-white spotted dog with a collar can be seen at the pump stick. On the back of the chair sits a parakeet or a small parrot, on the seat of the chair there are drumsticks, behind the chair is the corresponding drum and against the chair leans a beautiful rocking horse.

These attributes were chosen from the material culture with which a child like this boy was actually surrounded in everyday life.