A Young Boy Seen from Behind, holding a sword and cap 1590 - 1650

Matteo Rosselli sketched this young boy with red chalk sometime in the early 17th century. Rosselli lived and worked in Florence during a time of artistic and political transition. His paintings often blended the traditions of the late Renaissance with the emerging Baroque style. Here, a young boy grips a sword and cap, symbols of status and potential. But what does it mean to visualize power through a child? The boy’s gaze is directed upwards, perhaps dreaming of a future he cannot yet grasp. We do not see his face. The lack of direct engagement invites us to consider the broader structures of power. What social expectations are being placed upon him? The artwork prompts us to consider the weight of inherited roles and the limited scope of self-determination, particularly for those born into privilege. It reflects the artist’s world and poses questions about the identities society imposes on us.