Head of a Young Boy

This Head of a Young Boy, attributed to Jan de Bray around 1650, is a character study or tronie by a member of the prominent de Bray artistic family of Haarlem. Jan de Bray, son of painter-architect Salomon de Bray, became one of Haarlem's leading painters, known for his portraits and history paintings. The tronie format — an informal head study of a type rather than a specific individual — was widely practiced in Dutch Golden Age painting.

The oil on copper shows the refined, detailed technique possible on the smooth copper support. The warm flesh tones and lively expression of the boy are rendered with careful attention to light and texture, demonstrating de Bray's skill in capturing youthful vitality.