Mauritshuis

In the Mauritshuis hangs the famous Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius 1654. The painting plays a central role in the book The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, which has been adapted into the eponymous film.

The name goldfinch was initially only used for specimens that were kept in captivity and had learned to drink water from a bowl beneath them using, for example, a thimble on a string. In other words: a goldfinch could be made from a thistle finch.

In 17th-century Holland, where the trick of the goldfinch was particularly popular, the bird could symbolize ingenuity and perseverance.

Pascal Brackman