Boy Blowing Bubbles

Speculation on the significance of soap bubbles as a metaphor for transience led to van Mieris’ joyful theme of innocent childhood being given a serious moral interpretation. There is a long tradition of ‘disguised symbolism’ in Dutch painting. In line with this approach, the vines could be read as an addiction to alcohol, the woman as lust, her dog as loyalty, the sunflower as a devotion to Heaven. Moreover, the composition by the Old Master from Leiden can be seen in the context of the ‘paragone’, the competition between painting and sculpture: The illusion of spatial depth and the skilful depiction of textures demonstrates painting’s particular prowess. Van Mieris makes frequent use of the illusionary motif of a window, suggesting not only depth but also a symbol of reflection and insight. The Boy Blowing Bubbles in Mauritshuis in The Hague is believed to be the original version, and there are countless replicas and variations on the theme. (Kathrin DuBois)