Child Resting under Flowers
A young child lies on a red cushion, dressed in white and surrounded by carefully observed flowers. The delicacy of the portrait is inseparable from the painter’s mastery of floral still life: the wreath, scattered blossoms and small bouquet give the image both visual richness and symbolic meaning.
José María Quesada Valera interprets the work as a post-mortem portrait and places it within Juan van der Hamen’s Madrid production, around 1626–1627. His study compares its flowers and handling with the artist’s documented paintings, including works in the Museo del Prado, and considers the courtly and religious traditions of portraying deceased children. The child’s identity remains unconfirmed; a possible connection with the family of the Duke of Villahermosa is presented as a hypothesis.