Portret van een zittend kind met een vogeltje 1703

Godfried Schalcken created this delicate etching titled 'Portrait of a seated child with a bird' sometime in the late 17th century. During this period, childhood was often romanticized in art, yet simultaneously children from privileged backgrounds were subjected to strict social expectations. The child here, adorned with flowers and draped in classical garb, occupies a space between innocence and performance. Are they merely a symbol of purity, or is there something else at play? The bird, a traditional symbol of freedom, perches near the child’s outstretched hand, almost as if offering an escape. Schalcken presents us not just with a portrait but with a question about the future that this child will have. This image carries a complex emotional charge. There's a tension between the overt symbols of innocence and freedom, set against the backdrop of the strict social constraints of the time. This tension invites us to reflect on our own expectations.