Jongenshoofd met een breedgerande hoed before 1660

Moses ter Borch created this drawing, "Boy's Head with a Wide-Brimmed Hat," in the Netherlands during the 17th century, using pen and brown ink, with a brown wash. During this time, the Dutch Republic experienced a Golden Age, marked by economic prosperity and cultural flourishing. Ter Borch, though he died young, was part of a family of artists including his more famous brother Gerard. This small study of a boy in a large hat gives insight into the fashion of the time, with the hat being a particularly interesting example of the period's style. However, this piece also prompts questions about social structures. Who was this boy? Was he a member of the merchant class, newly wealthy and eager to display their status through fashion? Or was he perhaps a studio assistant? To understand this drawing more deeply, scholars consult period fashion plates, probate inventories that list clothing, and other contemporary depictions of children. By placing art within its social and institutional context, we can unpack the layers of meaning embedded within it.