Franz Hals by Ayala Magder

With his breathtaking brushwork and exquisite color palette, Frans Hals dazzled the Dutch elite, making his mark on art’s history and our class syllabus. When the Metropolitan Museum of Art made his remarkable paintings available to the public just a few weeks ago, I could not let the opportunity pass. The exhibition contained thirteen of Hals’ paintings, including two lent from private collectors. Each phenomenal piece left me enchanted. And Hals’ personal history, which was revealed as I dug deeper, left me fascinated. 

Born in 1582 in the Flemish city of Antwerp, Frans Hals and his family were forced to flee the city when it was lost to Spain after a siege in 1585. Because his father was a clothworker, the family moved to Haarlem, a thriving textile center. There, Hals worked as an apprentice for the Mannerist painter Karel van Mander and joined Haarlem’s painters’ guild in 1610. Serving in Haarlem’s Saint George civic guard from 1612 to 1624 inspired a collection of Hals originals. Hals painted ten large group portraits for public institutions. This collection was displayed for many years in Haarlem, attracting later artists like Manet, Courbet, Monet, Van Gogh, Whistler, Sargent, and Chase. 

In August 1616, Hals returned to his birthplace where he witnessed a proliferation of artwork from Flemish artists like Sir Peter Paul Rubens and a very young Van Dyck, amongst many others. Hals painted “Merrymakers at Shrovetide” in 1616. With its rich coloring and crowded composition, the piece resembles Jacob Jordeans’ work. 

The painting is nearly absent of negative space, and its coloring reflects a shift in Hals’ style from the somber hues of his earlier collection. But a somber time in Hals’ life did arrive shortly after. In November of 1616, his wife and two small children passed away. Months later he married a woman from Haarlem. Giving birth to their first nine days after their marriage, the woman bore Hals eleven children. 

Hals remained in Haarlem for the next 50 years. The newly rich lined up at his studio door to have their portraits painted and their egos glorified. Although each subject is distinguishable from the next, every one of them seems to impart an air of happy-go-lucky bliss. Even Hals’ portrayals of rural life and lower-class subjects appear to be drunk with lightheartedness. In “The Fisher Girl” (circa 1630-32), Hals depicts a pretty, young, commoner selling her fish to an unseen customer. Hals’ loose brushstrokes paint her rudy cheeks and cheerful smile. The painting confirms Hals’ sustained theme; everyone in Haarlem is happy! 

Hals continued to paint a whirlwind of portraits with his signature bright colors and rapid, loose strokes. His paintings carry a vitality and confidence that he continued to develop and portray. Hals painted with increasing freedom well into his middle age. Between 1630 and 1650, he painted more than 100 single portraits and 6 group and family portraits. By 1649, Hals had even painted the philosopher René Descartes.

In his old age, Hals’ portrayals took a more somber turn. Many critics agree that the hardships Hals faced in his last decades, due to poverty and family circumstances, is evident in his later paintings. But no matter the decade, Hals’ work is an exquisite depiction and window to his world. It is no wonder why his art is and inspiration to artists in all generations.