Boy with a House of Cards

Boy with a House of Cards is an oil on canvas painting by the French artist François-Hubert Drouais, classified as a work of the French school. The work, measuring 71.1 × 58.4 cm, depicts a boy building a house of cards. It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York, where it is held among the museum's permanent displays.

Its accession number is not disclosed in the available documentation, and no public exhibition history has been recorded for this piece in the provided references.

François-Hubert Drouais, a notable French portraitist of the mid-18th century, created Boy with a House of Cards around 1761. This oil painting captures a young boy engaged in the delicate act of balancing a small structure made from playing cards. The work reflects the artist's skill in depicting contemporary figures and contributes to the Rococo period's characteristic lightheartedness. It is currently part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.

Active during the latter part of King Louis XV's reign, François-Hubert Drouais established himself as a sought-after portrait painter in France. He was frequently commissioned by members of the royal family, the aristocracy, and affluent Parisian society. His ability to portray the fashionable individuals of his era, often with a charming and intimate sensibility, solidified his reputation among the elite patrons of 18th-century French art.