Portret van een jongen met een hond 1658 - 1677

"Portret van een jongen met een hond" (Portrait of a Boy with a Dog), a 17th-century etching by Wallerant Vaillant, depicts a young boy standing beside a dog, both of whom are positioned against a backdrop of draped fabric. The boy’s formal clothing, likely a member of the Dutch aristocracy, and the calm, almost stoic gaze of both boy and dog suggests a sense of privilege and poise. The etching, part of the Rijksmuseum collection, exemplifies the artist's skill in capturing both the sitter's likeness and the subtle nuances of light and shadow. This piece showcases Vaillant's mastery in the portraiture genre.