Margaretha Wulfraet - A young boy playing the flute

18th century Dutch old master oil, A boy playing the flute by Margaretha Wulfraet
 
The present painting captures a young boy standing gracefully in a sunlit park, his fingers resting lightly on a slender flute as he gazes kindly at the viewer, poised to begin his music. The intimate scale of the painting draws the viewer close, inviting admiration for its exquisite details. Dressed in a richly colored, embroidered costume and crowned with a red feathered hat, he radiates youthful elegance and charm. Behind him, a luxurious landscape unfolds with manicured gardens and classical sculptures, blending natural beauty with architectural grandeur. 
 
Margaretha Wulfraet (1678–1760) was a distinguished Dutch painter, celebrated for her portraits and genre scenes during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Born in Arnhem, she was baptized on February 20, 1678, in the Grote Kerk, suggesting her birth likely occurred on February 19. Her father, Matthijs Wulfraet, was a respected history and portrait painter who had worked in Frankfurt and Amsterdam. He provided Margaretha with her initial artistic training, fostering her development in the arts. In 1681, the family relocated to Amsterdam, a vibrant cultural hub that significantly influenced her artistic growth. During this period, she was notably influenced by the works of Caspar Netscher, a prominent Dutch portrait and genre painter. Wulfraet’s work primarily encompassed portraits and genre scenes. Her portraits were esteemed for their meticulous detail and the lifelike representation of her subjects, capturing both their physical likeness and the subtleties of their personalities. Her artistic prowess earned her considerable acclaim; the engraver Bernard Picart reportedly described her as “a prodigy and an honor to her gender.” In 1741, after a successful career in Amsterdam, Wulfraet returned to her birthplace, Arnhem, where she spent her remaining years until her death in 1760. Her legacy endures through her contributions to Dutch art, with her works held in various collections, including the Museum Arnhem and the Finnish National Gallery.
 
Notably, Wulfraet’s work will be featured in the upcoming exhibition “Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600–1750” at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., scheduled from September 26, 2025, to January 11, 2026. This exhibition will showcase works by more than forty women artists from the Low Countries, highlighting their integral role in the region’s artistic economy during a dynamic historical period.
 
Dimensions:
Oil on panel measuring ca. 16.5 by 14 cms
With frame ca. 22.5 by 20 cms
 
Provenance:
Art Market Germany 2015 as Margaretha Wulfraet
 
Monogrammed lower left.