Who painted Boy Looking through the Window?

Boy Looking through the Window was painted by Samuel van Hoogstraten in 1649.

Where can I see Boy Looking through the Window?

Boy Looking through the Window is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Boy Looking through the Window?

Boy Looking through the Window is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Boy Looking through the Window

Samuel van Hoogstraten , 1649

Boy Looking through the Window is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Samuel van Hoogstraten. It dates from 1649 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1649, this oil painting by Dutch artist Samuel van Hoogstraten captures a quiet domestic moment. A young boy, clad in a red coat with a fur-trimmed collar and a dark cap, leans against a windowsill and gazes outward. The composition is modest in scale and resides in the State Hermitage Museum’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The work belongs to the 17th‑century genre tradition that favored everyday scenes. By focusing on a solitary child looking through a window, the image invites contemplation of curiosity and the boundary between interior life and the world beyond, a theme often explored in Dutch domestic interiors.

Technique & Style

Van Hoogstraten employs a pronounced contrast of light and shadow, illuminating the boy’s face while the surrounding space recedes into darkness. This chiaroscuro effect, typical of the period, directs the viewer’s eye to the figure and enhances the sense of depth within the limited interior setting.

History & Provenance

After its creation, the painting entered various private collections before being acquired by the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, where it remains on public display. Its provenance reflects the broader movement of Dutch Golden Age works into major European institutions during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Artist & collection

Artist

Samuel van Hoogstraten

Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten (2 August 1627 in Dordrecht – 19 October 1678 in Dordrecht) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, who was also a poet and author on art theory.