Portrait of a Gentleman

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 portrayed this gentleman with his right shoulder turned slightly toward the viewer and his left arm akimbo. His shoulder-length, wavy brown hair falls on either side of his face from under a black hat with a moderately wide brim. With his right hand, he gently pulls his black cape forward, while his left hand holds one of his gloves. The man’s identity is not known, but his fashionable attire and dignified bearing indicate that he was a person of means. The three-quarter-length pose adds to the dignity of this debonair man.

The bold and sure brushwork of this portrait are consistent with similar works executed by the mature master in the early 1650s. The sketchy contours around the hat and cape reveal that Hals improvised and adjusted his design as he worked.