The Lute Player

In the 18th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' c. early-1660s portrait of Issac Abrahamsz Massa, which is in the collection of the Schloss Wilhelmshöhe, in Kassel, Germany. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 217, in his 1974 catalogue, and Claus Grimm accepted it as number 145, in his of 1989. The portrait was included in the solo Hals exhibitions of the twentieth century of 1937, 1962, and in Haarlem in 1990. Issac is portrayed with Hals' characteristic swift, confident brushstrokes: a muted and muddled color palette defines the work, with deep blacks and earthy tones, subtly punctuated by the crisp white collar, which serves to frame the subject's face and draw the viewer's eye to his, slightly mischievous expression. The relaxed pose, with one arm draped over the back of a chair, is quintessentially Hals, reflecting his ability to break from formality and imbue his portraits with a candid, conversational quality that distinguishes his work from that of his contemporaries. Often considered an anomaly, though nearly entrancing when spending prolonged period of looking at the painting in person; this portrait from Hals' last years of his career, and life, displays the mature techniques he had by then refined, concerning contours and borders—which imbues the work with a complex layering of paint, creating 'foggy', vector-like expanses on the canvas. Learn more about Issac Abrahamsz Massa. You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 17th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' c. 1620s work titled The Lute Player, which is in the collection of the Louvre. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 19, in his 1974 catalogue, and Claus Grimm accepted it as number 24, in his 1989. It was accepted by Wilhelm von Bode, Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, and William Valentiner. It was included in the solo Hals exhibitions of the twentieth century of 1937 and 1989-1990, though only in London for the latter. Prior to its acquisition by the Louvre in 1984, it had been in the collection of Gustave de Rothschild (1929-1911). In this painting, a young man, likely a jester or musician, is depicted in a dynamic, three-quarter view. He is dressed in a vibrant costume consisting of red and black stripes, with red tassels and golden ornaments adorning his attire. The work is one of Hals' few paintings that have transcended his oeuvre to become part of popular culture during his own and current times, and the works is best known as being present in the Leiden painter David Bailly's (1584-1957) self portrait, which dates from c. 1651. View the work over on the website of the Louvre. View David Bailly's self-portrait on the website of the Lakenhal. You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 16th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' portrait of Tieleman Roosterman, which since 1999, has been part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, in Ohio, in the USA. The painting has long been attributed to Hals by scholars, since the late-1800s. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 93, in his 1974 catalogue; Claus Grimm numbered it 76, in his 1989 catalogue. It is the pendant to Hals’ portrait of Catherina Brugman, numbered 94 in the same catalogue. This is a portrait of a very self-assured man. Standing at a three-fourth portrayal at nearly life-size; the canvas shows Tieleman positioned against a tan, neutral background, with a confident, jaunty posture. Dressed in a black doublet adorned with intricate black embroidery along the seams and along his cuffs; his eyes gaze directly at the viewer, creating an intense connection between observer and sitter. The composition reflects Hals’ skill in capturing the personality and vitality of his sitter, through dynamic brushwork and keen observation of details. Learn more about the work at the Cleveland Museum of Art. You can find John on X ⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 15th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' 1624 portrait The Laughing Cavalier, which is in the collection of the Wallace Collection in London. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 30, in his 1974 catalogue, and Claus Grimm accepted it as number 18, in his catalogue of 1989. Wilhelm von Bode, Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, and William Valentiner all accepted it, too. The work was not included in any of the twentieth century's Hals exhibitions of 1937, 1962, or 1989-1990. The portrait depicts a young man with a robust and confident demeanor—shown from the waist up, seated against a plain, dark background that accentuates his brightly lit figure. He wears an elaborately embellished doublet, whose embroidery is rendered in detail. This painting is heavily engrained in British cultural and has been, since it was won at auction, in 1865, by Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford. Read a review of Frans Hals: The Male Portrait by Lelia Packer and Ashok Roy, published by Early Modern Low Countries in 2022. Learn more about the painting at the Wallace Collection. You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 14th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' c. 1630s portrait of Claes Duyst van Voorhout, which is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum in Manhattan. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 119, in his 1974 catalogue, and Claus Grimm accepted it as number 81, in his 1989. It was accepted by Wilhelm von Bode, Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, and William Valentiner. It was included in the solo Hals exhibitions of the twentieth century of 1937 and 1989-1990, though only in Washington for the latter. Claes Duyst van Voorhout is depicted in a three-quarter view, standing against a plain, dark background that highlights his figure and attire. He is dressed in a dark, elaborately designed doublet, richly textured, and adorned with intricate gold embroidery. The details of the garment, including the ornate buttons and the subtle play of light on the fabric, showcase Hals's mastery in rendering different materials with striking realism. Learn more about fashion in seventeenth-century European paintings, see Emilie E.S. Gordenker's 2002 dissertation in book form published by Brepols, Van Dyck and the Representation of Dress in Seventeenth-Century Portraiture. Read a review of the book, by Julia Marciari Alexander in the Burlington Magazine, from 2004. You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 13th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' c. early-1630s work The Fisher Boy, which is in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 71, in his 1974 catalogue. It was accepted by Wilhelm von Bode, Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, William Valentiner, though not Claus Grimm. It was included in the solo Hals exhibitions of the twentieth century of 1937 and 1962, yet only in Washington and not Haarlem and London, for the 1989-1990 exhibition. This painting is a quintessential example of Hals’ skill in capturing the essence of his subjects with both realism and expressive brushwork, with the ever-so-famous ‘virtuosity’ of Hals present, throughout the foreground of the canvas in the clothing of the boy. You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 12th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' portrait of Cunera van Baersdorp, which is in a private collection. The painting has long been attributed to Hals by scholars, nearly universally. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 120, in his 1974 catalogue, and it was identified only in 2012 as the pendant to Michiel de Wael; numbered 85 in the same catalogue. It was not included in any of solo Hals exhibitions of the twentieth century; 1937, 1962, or 1989-1990. It is a masterful work that encapsulates the elegance and sophistication of Frans Hals' portraiture, making it a valuable piece for both art historians and connoisseurs of Old Master paintings. View the new catalogue of Susan and Matthew Weatherbie's collection, written by Peter Sutton and published by the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. View Ann Jensen Adams' 2009 book Public Faces and Private Identities in Seventeenth-Century Holland, published by Cambridge University Press; read a 2016 review of the book. You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 11th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' portrait of Catherina Burgman, which is in a private collection. The painting has long been attributed to Hals by scholars, since the late-1800s. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 94, in his 1974 catalogue. It is the pendant to Hals’ portrait of Tieleman Roosterman, numbered 93 in the same catalogue. Hardly ever on public view; it was last exhibited in the 1920s, in London. The painting exemplifies Hals' mastery in capturing the textures of fabrics and the subtleties of facial expressions, as well as his ability to convey the status and personality of his sitters, through detailed and realistic portraiture. Learn more about pearls in seventeenth-century Dutch paintings in Eddy de Jongh's 1975-1976 article 'Pearls of Virtue and Pearls of Vice', originally published in Simiolus. Learn about the history of the 'why not both' meme. You can find John on X ⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the tenth episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss the painting titled 'Singing Girl' and 'Boy Playing a Violin', both of which are in a private American collection. They are well documented in the last century by scholars, critics, and connoisseurs; Wilhelm von Bode and Seymour Slive considered them to be by Hals, and so did William Valentiner. Slive numbered them 54 and 53, respectively, in his 1974 Hals catalogue raisonné. Claus Grimm, as of 2024, does not consider them to be by Hals. These genre works, whose original purpose remains unknown, show two children merrily making music—both caught in happy moments of fleeting joy, as they sing and play their tune. You can find John on X ⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the ninth episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss a painting titled 'Family Group in a Landscape', which is in the collection of the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid. It was purchased by Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, in 1935, and has been widely exhibited throughout the twentieth century. Cornelis Hofstede de Groot and Seymour Slive consider the work to be by Hals; Grimm considers it a workshop product. Slive numbered it 177, in his 1974 Hals catalogue raisonné. In the painting, five figures are positioned against a backdrop of a pastoral landscape; a sort of dune landscape in the distance whereas in the foreground is the edge of a forest, against which they are set. To learn more about the work, visit the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum website. Watch Titus Kaphar's ⁠TED talk⁠ about the painting. To learn more about Kaphar's 2017 painting Shifting the Gaze, visit the website of the Brooklyn Museum. You can find John on X ⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.