Apparently the iPhone was invented nearly 350 years ago, according to Apple boss Tim Cook's interpretation of a painting.

During a chat at the Start-up Fest event in Amsterdam on Tuesday, Cook spoke to former European Commissioner Neelie Kroes about topics ranging from health to the future of TV.

But the pair shared an anecdote from the night before when Kroes took Cook to Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum.

"Do you happen to know Tim, where and when the iPhone was invented?" Kroes asked Cook on stage.

The Apple chief executive explained that in one painting at the museum he thought he saw the subject holding an iPhone.

"You know, I thought I knew until last night. Last night Neelie took me over to look at some Rembrandt and in one of the paintings I was so shocked. There was an iPhone in one of the paintings," Cook jokingly explained.