Adriaen van Ostade

Frans Hals was the preeminent portrait painter in Haarlem, the most important artistic center of Holland in the early part of the seventeenth century. He was famous for his uncanny ability to portray his subjects with relatively few bold brushstrokes, and often used informal poses to enliven his portraits.

Hals depicted his colleague the artist Adriaen van Ostade (1610–1685) as a refined gentleman wearing fashionable apparel, including the gloves that were an essential accessory of the social elite in this period. Van Ostade holds his right glove in his left hand, and his casual pose adds to the lifelike character of the portrait, further reinforced by the extraordinary abstract brushwork.

Prior to entering Haarlem’s Saint Luke’s Guild in 1634, Van Ostade had probably been Hals’ pupil. He specialized in scenes of peasant life, such as _The Cottage Dooryard_ in the National Gallery’s collection. In 1647 Van Ostade was elected to serve as one of the headmen of the Saint Luke’s Guild, so he may have commissioned Hals to paint his portrait to commemorate this high point in his career.