This painting is almost always considered a self-portrait of Samuel van Hoogstraten at the age of around seventeen. The painter, however, does not look at the public, which is strange because he would have had to use a mirror to paint his portrait. Conversely, another self-portrait dating from 1644 shows no resemblance to the young man depicted here. That is why there is some doubt about the identity of the young man. The extinguished candle, the books, the hour-glass and the skull on the table are attributes that refer to mortality.
Specifications
| Title | Young Man Reading with Vanitas Still Life |
|---|---|
| Material and technique | Oil on panel |
| Object type |
Painting
> Painting
> Two-dimensional object
> Art object
|
| Location | This object is travelling |
| Dimensions |
Width 74 cm Height 58 cm |
|---|---|
| Artists |
Painter:
Samuel van Hoogstraten
|
| Accession number | 1386 (OK) |
| Credits | Gift Mr A.F. Philips and Mrs A. Philips-de Jongh, 1935 |
| Department | Old Masters |
| Acquisition date | 1935 |
| Creation date | in 1644 |
| Collector | Collector / Vitale Bloch |
| Internal exhibitions |
The Collection Enriched (2011) De collectie als tijdmachine (2017) |
| External exhibitions |
Boijmans bij de Buren - REMIX ROTTERDAM, Boijmans X Wereldmuseum (2020) Rembrandt - Hoogstraten (2024) |
| Research |
Show research Alma |
| Material | |
| Object | |
| Geographical origin | Northern Netherlands > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe |
