Jacob Adriaensz. de Backer (1608-1651) , Attributed, Jacob Adriaensz. de Backer (1608-1651) , Attributed Little boy blowing soap bubbles

Oil on wood 38 x 29.2 cm

A little boy is concentrating on blowing a soap bubble. He is using a shallow bowl on a stick or handle for the soap suds. He is depicted against a neutral background, facing left and with his head bowed. The light falls on his rosy cheeks, the tip of his nose and his left hand. He is wearing a rust-brown doublet over a white shirt and a red barrette sits on his head, casting a shadow on his face. The innocent child's play was usually understood as a reference to the transience of human life, which ends as quickly as a soap bubble bursts (Homo bulla). The little boy has no idea of this truth as he plays.
Oil on wood, 38 × 29.2 cm