Artwork

Portraits of two boys in a landscape, one dressed as a hunter, the other as St. John the Baptist

Portraits of two boys in a landscape, one dressed as a hunter, the other as St. John the Baptist is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Douwe Juwes de Dowe. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Overview

Douwe Juwes de Dowe, a 17th‑century painter active in Leeuwarden, executed this oil on canvas in 1647. The work presents two young boys positioned in an outdoor setting, each dressed in contrasting attire that suggests distinct roles. The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The figure on the left is clad in a vivid red coat, feathered hat and boots, holding a walking stick and a leashed dog, evoking the image of a hunter. The boy on the right is shown bare‑chested, grasping a rope attached to a lamb, with another lamb and a small dog nearby, his costume recalling the Child Saint John the Baptist.

Technique & Style

De Dowe employs a strong chiaroscuro effect, allowing the bright red of the hunter’s coat to dominate against a dim, indistinct landscape. The handling of light creates a clear separation between the figures and the shadowy background, while the brushwork remains relatively smooth, typical of Dutch portraiture of the period.

History & Provenance

Active as a portraitist from the early 1620s until the early 1660s, de Dowe was influenced by the stained‑glass tradition of nearby Gouda. The painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings in the 20th century, where it remains on view as an example of his later work.

Context

The juxtaposition of a secular hunter and a biblical saint reflects a common 17th‑century Dutch practice of combining genre and religious motifs. Such pairings allowed patrons to display both worldly interests and pious sentiment within a single composition.