Lezende jongen 1658 - 1677

Wallerant Vaillant created this small mezzotint called 'Lezende jongen' - or 'Reading Boy' - some time in the 17th century. Vaillant was a successful portraitist of his time, painting members of the French and Polish royal courts. Here, the soft tonalities achieved through the mezzotint technique capture a quiet moment. A young man is completely absorbed in his reading. The suggestion of a narrative beyond the frame is strong here, enhanced by the intimacy of the boy’s absorption. What is he reading and how does it relate to his own emerging identity? In the Dutch Golden Age, literacy was increasingly valued, a marker of status but also of personal and intellectual growth. The image of a boy immersed in a book is quietly revolutionary, emphasizing the importance of education and introspection in shaping an individual. It's a moment of quiet contemplation, inviting us to reflect on our own journeys of self-discovery through literature.