Arnold Van Houbraken Antique Oil Painting of a Child

Item Details

An antique oil painting on canvas of a child by well listed Dutch Golden Age artist and author Arnold Van Houbraken (1660-1719). This painting depicts a barefooted child with a cherubic face in classical period dress. The child stands in a classic contrapposto pose gesturing with a hand full of hay toward a goat at his side. A long length of green fabric is draped across his body, contrasting with the earthy red of his tunic. This painting is signed in black to the lower left. The piece is presented in a gold-tone carved frame. A small brass plaque engraved with the artist’s name and lifespan is attached to the frame beneath the composition. The verso of this piece is marked with a tag from Betty Brown Picture Framing, Cincinnati, OH. and it is equipped to hang.

Houbraken was known for his paintings of mythological and religious subjects, as well as portraits and landscapes. He was the author of The Great Theater of Dutch Painters, a three-volume work of artist’s biographies.

Condition

- there is a small puncture to the left of the figure’s left leg and a smaller puncture near the left elbow. There is evidence of minor inpainting. There is craquelure throughout. There is a beeswax varnish applied to the surface of the painting which has a mild odor. The varnish is inconsistent in some areas. The frame finish is chipped in several areas with some of the decorative elements missing.

Dimensions

- visible image measures 25.75"W x 32"H

Item #

18CIN044-197