Van Suchtelen said that young Carel was tutored by his father before arriving in Amsterdam, at around age 14, to study with Rembrandt at the master’s home. According to van Suchtelen, “The Goldfinch,” which measures just over 13 inches tall by 9 inches wide, may have been intended as a decorative panel for a box.īorn in the small Holland town of Middenbeemster, Fabritius was the son of a school teacher who painted as a hobby. “Donna Tartt and the book have drawn a lot of attention to the artist.”įabritius had practiced carpentry before studying with Rembrandt at the master’s studio in Amsterdam. “Lots of Americans come here and want to see it,” Ariane van Suchtelen, the museum’s curator, told The Post.

These days there are refrigerator magnets, key fobs and tins of Stroopwafel adorned with the little bird, as well as a reproduction printed on canvas and selling for $165. Prior to the book’s 2013 publication, there was only a jigsaw puzzle. Aided by the book’s fame - the painting graces the cover and plays a pivotal role in the narrative - it now ranks as a star attraction.Īt the Mauritshuis, where “The Goldfinch” competes with Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (also the inspiration for a book and movie) for top billing as a pop-culture phenom, 40 or so “Goldfinch”-themed items are for sale in the gift shop. The work hangs at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands, about 30 minutes outside of Amsterdam. Now, 365 years after his tragic death at the age of 32, Fabritius and his creation - which depicts a tiny yellow-feathered bird tethered to its perch - are hotter than ever. Prince Harry on a Tic Tac: Not so minty freshīusiness is booming for “The Goldfinch,” and it goes beyond the bestselling novel and Oscar-bait movie that opened in theaters Friday.Ĭenturies before author Donna Tartt came up with her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “The Goldfinch” was already a stunning if little known painting by a forgotten 17th century Dutch artist named Carel Fabritius.

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