The Goldfinch
Carel Fabritius · 1654
Why it's great
A little bird sits on a feeder chained to a wall, in a bright light. Carel Fabritius painted it in 1654, a few months before he was killed when the powder magazine in Delft exploded. Donna Tartt's novel The Goldfinch is named for it.
Where to see it
📍 MauritshuisThe Hague, Netherlands
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Carel Fabritius was a Dutch painter born in 1622, who studied with Rembrandt. He painted only a few pictures, and he was killed at the age of 32 when a gunpowder store exploded in Delft in 1654, destroying much of his work. The Goldfinch is his best-known picture.
