In this intimate and contemplative picture, Chardin portrays a boy playing an innocent game. But the artist has prominently placed coins on the table and a jack of hearts in the drawer, to predict the boy’s future entertainment: gambling and love.
Chardin executed four versions of this subject and the boys he paints differ. The boy in the 1735-6 version has a lighter coat, fairer hair, more pink in his cheeks, and a less sophisticated expression. Interestingly, his drawer lacks the jack of hearts, and only one coin is present on the tabletop.
This version is Chardin’s last, and it is noticeably darker and smoother. Chardin, having provided these details, leaves the viewer to speculate on the boys’ character and their futures.
