This simple depiction of the head and shoulders of a smiling boy in a dashing plumed beret is a valuable testimony to the stellar rise of Rembrandt in the 1630s, and the interpretive talent of De Grebber. The type and pose are directly descended from the Caravaggesque images of musicians and revellers by Frans Hals and members of his studio such as Judith Leyster. However, the half-length format has been exchanged for a focused depiction of head and shoulders, which is much more in line with the tronies developed by Jan Lievens and Rembrandt in the second half of the 1620s. The muted tones and the strong light effect point directly to their work.