Jongen met vogelkooi c. 1625

"Jongen met vogelkooi" (Boy with a Bird Cage) is an etching by Dutch artist Cornelis Bloemaert, created around 1625. The artwork depicts a young boy holding a birdcage, with a bird visible inside. The boy's youthful features and the inscription on the etching (which translates to: "My little bird is clever, so I must keep it confined, because it's better to be inside here than three times out there") suggest a theme of domestication and confinement. This etching, now held by the Rijksmuseum, demonstrates Bloemaert's mastery of etching techniques, and his ability to capture a moment of childhood innocence with a hint of underlying melancholy.