A portrait displayed at the National Gallery has left art fans puzzled after a mother and daughter spotted what looks like a Nike trainer in the painting.
Portrait of a Boy, created by 17th-century Dutch Master Ferdinand Bol, shows an eight-year-old boy standing in the foreground holding a goblet. He wears a black jacket and cape, a white shirt with ruffled sleeves, auburn socks and black boots, typical of the period.
However, a closer look at the boy's shoes reveals a white tick remarkably similar to the iconic Nike logo.
Time Travel Theory Emerges
Given that Nike was founded centuries after the portrait was completed, some have suggested the artwork offers evidence of time travel.
Fiona Foskett noticed the detail while visiting the London gallery with her daughter, Holly. She said: "I said to my daughter, 'Hold on, is he wearing a pair of Nike trainers?'"
"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?"
Gallery Responds
A spokesperson for the National Gallery said: "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."
