Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Daniel Mijtens the Younger. It dates from 1679 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
This isn’t just a family portrait—it’s an allegory, meaning each child probably stands for a virtue like innocence or wisdom.
You see a group of kids in fancy 17th-century clothes, posed like little adults. They stand close, some holding flowers or a bird, with serious faces and ruffled collars.
This isn’t just a family portrait—it’s an allegory, meaning each child probably stands for a virtue like innocence or wisdom. The artist hid symbols in plain sight, like the bird (maybe freedom) or the flowers (youth). We don’t know who painted it, but it was made for a powerful Leiden family in 1679.
Want to see more hidden symbols? Look up chiaroscuro—the way light and shadow play here to make the kids pop.
Overview
This 1679 painting is an allegorical group portrait of the children of a prominent Leiden family, Diederic Pietersz van Leyden and Alida Paets. The artist is unknown.
Subject & Meaning
The children are depicted in elaborate 17th-century attire, posed formally, and are likely meant to represent various virtues. Symbols such as flowers and a bird are incorporated, possibly signifying youth, innocence, and freedom.
Technique & Style
The use of chiaroscuro, a strong contrast between light and dark, creates a sense of depth and highlights the figures. The children's serious expressions and ornate clothing are characteristic of the formal style of the period.
History & Provenance
The painting was gifted to the museum by the Commissie voor Fotoverkoop in 1972. It was originally created for the van Leyden family, with Diederic Pietersz van Leyden having served as burgomaster of Leiden.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Daniël Mijtens the Younger (Dutch pronunciation: ; 7 August 1644 in The Hague – buried on 23 September 1688 in The Hague) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and the son of Daniel Mytens the Elder, although some early…
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