Jongen die een sjerp of sjaal (?) vasthoudt, naar links 1649

Harmen ter Borch created this delicate drawing, “Boy holding a sash or scarf (?) to the left,” sometime in the mid-17th century. Ter Borch, who came from a family of artists, lived during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of great economic prosperity and cultural flourishing in the Netherlands. The sketch depicts a young boy with a simple outline, his figure rendered with spare lines. The boy’s attire, particularly the sash, subtly hints at a certain social standing, yet there is something very relatable in his posture. The uncertainty suggested by the question mark in the title is also appealing: what is the boy holding, what is his story? Rather than portraying the opulent interiors or grand portraits typical of the era, Ter Borch chose to focus on a single figure. There is an intimacy to the work. It invites us to reflect on the personal stories and lived experiences of individuals beyond the dominant historical narratives. It reminds us that identity is constructed from both what we know and what we imagine.