Jongetje met een blauwe baret 1782 - 1849

This watercolour on paper, 'Boy with a Blue Beret', was created by Johannes Hari around the turn of the 19th century. The work centres on a boy with fair hair and striking blue eyes, framed by a pristine white ruff and an unusually shaped beret. The beret is a deep, solid blue, its geometric form contrasting with the softer lines of the boy's face. The colour palette here is restrained, with muted browns and blues dominating, creating a sense of understated elegance. Hari’s technique, particularly his use of light, gently models the boy's face. The composition offers a study in contrasts: the softness of the watercolour medium against the sharp lines of the beret, the innocent gaze of youth juxtaposed with the formality of dress. The formal elements of line, shape, and colour interact to communicate both a personal portrait and broader cultural values of the time. Hari invites us to consider the intersection of individual identity and social presentation.