Credit: The National Gallery
People Convinced Old Painting Of Child ‘Wearing Nike Trainers’ Is ‘Proof Of Time Travel’
People are convinced an old painting of a child ‘wearing Nike trainers’ is proof that time travel must exist.
A 17th-century painting at London’s National Gallery has sparked wild theories about time travel after visitors spotted what appears to be a young boy wearing modern Nike trainers – despite the artwork being created centuries before the iconic brand even existed.
The artwork in question, ‘Portrait of a Boy’ by Dutch Master Ferdinand Bol, has left art enthusiasts scratching their heads and social media buzzing with conspiracy theories.
The painting, believed to have been completed in the 1650s, features an eight-year-old boy dressed in period-appropriate attire: a black jacket and cape, white ruffled shirt, reddish socks, and black boots.
The peculiar detail was first noticed by Fiona Foskett, 57, during a visit to the National Gallery with her daughter Holly, 23.
The pair had traveled from the Isle of Wight when something about the painting caught Fiona’s eye.
“I said to my daughter, ‘Hold on, is he wearing a pair of Nike trainers?'” Fiona told The Sun. “Looking at the age, he must have got his hands on the first pair of Nike trainers ever made. Or is he actually a time traveller?”
Upon closer inspection, the boots in the painting appear to feature what looks remarkably similar to Nike’s famous white ‘swoosh’ logo on the side – a detail that has sent the internet into a frenzy of speculation.
Here’s where things get interesting from a historical perspective: Nike wasn’t founded until 1964, making the painting approximately 300 years older than the brand itself, per the Daily Record.
This significant time gap has fueled theories ranging from the humorous to the genuinely conspiratorial.
The boy depicted in the portrait is believed to be Frederick Sluysken, thought to be a relative of the artist’s wife and the son of a wealthy wine merchant.
Given the family’s apparent wealth, some have jokingly suggested he somehow got his hands on ‘the first pair of Nike trainers ever made.’
The National Gallery has embraced the attention the painting has received.
A spokesperson told the Irish Star: “We are delighted that this picture has been such a hit with our visitors.
“It resonated with followers when we put out a Tweet asking people to see if they could spot a more ‘modern’ detail by taking a closer look at the shoes of the eight-year-old boy in the portrait.”
Not everyone is convinced by the time travel theory. Social media users have offered more mundane explanations for the mysterious marking.
One commenter noted: “It’s clearly the white sock showing under the bow/cravat and the shape is just the natural border of the shoe.”
Another user provided historical context: “Called a buckle on the shoes as they where made from leather and used a strap to go through the buckle. Some people these days.”
A third skeptic was even more direct: “It’s not a Nike symbol ya blind bats, it’s a buckle.”
The portrait continues to draw visitors to the National Gallery, where they can examine the evidence for themselves and decide whether they’re looking at masterful period art or proof that someone from our era took a very long trip back in time – and forgot to change their shoes.
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