Portrait of a young boy, thought to be Ralph Delaval (1622-1691), full-length, holding redcurrants and a pear, with a monkey

An enigmatic addition to the tradition of child portraiture in the Netherlands, the artist responsible for this charming depiction of a young boy remains so far anonymous. Although it bears similarities to the work of Jan Anthonisz. van Ravesteyn (The Hague c.1572-1657), Prof. Dr. Rudi Ekkart and Dr. Claire van den Donk have proposed that the painter of the present work may have been working in or around Utrecht (written communication, 2025). It does exhibit some stylistic affinities with a portrait of an unidentified young girl by Utrecht artist Paulus Moreelse (1571-1638), also dated 1623 and now in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin (inv. no. NGI.263).

The child, shown full-length in a marble-floored interior, is undoubtedly from a wealthy family. His precious silk gown is protected by a linen apron, and even this functional garment is trimmed with lace which would have been very costly. The sleeves of the gown are paned, revealing further layers of cloth beneath, and a second set of hanging sleeves is just visible hanging from the child’s shoulder; these were common in adult clothing also, but in children served a double purpose as leading reigns. Another striking feature of the child’s attire is the coral around his neck and upper torso. Strings of coral were worn not only for decoration but for their alleged beneficial powers; according to Flemish botanist Rembert Dodoens’ renowned herbal of 1554, beads of coral worn around the child’s neck would prevent fits and anxiety.¹

Children were almost always depicted with ‘accessories’ or attributes such as animals, toys and fruit, which served a formal purpose, enlivening the composition with colour and objects of interest, but also an allegorical one. Fruit alluded generally to youth and fertility, while cherries and red berries held Christian connotations, referring to the blood of Christ and the Eucharist, and pears held their own long-standing iconographic significance in depictions of the Madonna.

Animals and pets played an important role within child portraiture. The choice of animal could testify to the patrons’ attention to the child’s rearing; an obedient dog, for example, would not only serve as a pet and companion to be immortalised in paint, but as an indicator of a good upbringing and appropriate discipline. Here, the inclusion of the monkey (also holding a pear) is somewhat elusive in its meaning; they were often employed to represent human folly, vanity or sinful behaviour, but also within the context of wealth, worldliness and exotic tastes. The addition of the chain held in the monkey’s right paw, may speak to a preoccupation with obedience, moral restraint and loyalty.

A note on the provenance
The painting’s long history in England invites another proposal for its authorship; that of a Dutch itinerant painter, working in England in the early 17^th Century. A later inscription on the portrait claims to identify its sitter: Sir Ralph Delaval, 1^st Bt. (1622-1691) of Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, where the present painting previously hung.

The Delaval family, for whom the estate is named, have been connected to the Seaton Valley parish since the Norman Conquest; having been loyal supporters of William the Conqueror, they were rewarded with lands after the Battle of Hastings. By the early eighteenth century, the estate had fallen into disrepair and its then-owner, Sir John Delaval, 3^rd Baronet (1654-1729), was forced to sell it to his cousin, Admiral George Delaval, who then called upon renowned architect Sir John Vanbrugh to rebuild the existing manor house in 1718.

The house we see today, Seaton Delaval Hall, is a superb example of English Baroque architecture. Vanbrugh, whose other works include Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace, was widely regarded for adapting the continental Baroque style into a more restrained and refined aesthetic that came to be known as English Baroque. Seaton Delaval became his final accomplishment – a bold, symmetrical structure marrying grandeur with drama, which heralded a new chapter in the estate’s history.

^1. J.B. Bedaux and R. Ekkart (eds.), Pride and Joy, Children's Portraits in the Netherlands 1500-1700, exhibition catalogue, Amsterdam, 2000, p. 102.