The text on the painting says that the girl is four years old. The dog at her feet symbolizes faithfulness, obedience and a willingness to learn. The cherries in the basket suggest piety, and the bear’s tooth in the shaft of the rattle was thought to protect against disease and death, a big risk in the 1600s when child mortality was high. The painting has been attributed to Tizian, but is more likely painted by an unknown Flemish artist.