Frans Hals

He developed a unique style that was much freer than those of his contemporaries. The visible brushstrokes made his paintings dynamic – his portraits were alive with smiles, laughter and eye-catching poses. Commissions poured in from the economic and political elite of Haarlem, but Hals had an artist’s eye for all sorts of sitters, and he continued to paint ‘ordinary’ people as well as his wealthy patrons. His many lively genre paintings capture a wide range of figures, from fisherboys on a beach to a cheerful drunkard in a tavern. After his death, Hals lived on as a major inspiration for the Impressionists.