The Mauritshuis, together with the Frans Hals Museum, has acquired two remarkable paintings by Frans Hals at an auction in New York: Boy Playing the Violin and Girl Singing, both from 1628. The works are returning to the Netherlands together and will be shown alternately in Haarlem and The Hague.
With these two panels, the Mauritshuis adds rare examples of the genre paintings for which Frans Hals is renowned: depictions of ordinary people engaged in everyday activities. Until now, this kind of genre painting by Hals was largely absent in the Netherlands. The paintings of two music-making children are particularly special, because the boy and girl may be Hals’ own son and daughter.
The paintings were purchased with support from the Rembrandt Association, the Mondriaan Fund, the National Art Acquisition Fund of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), the Friends of the Frans Hals Museum, the VriendenLoterij, and the Municipality of Haarlem.
The painter
Frans Hals (1580–1666) was one of the most famous and innovative Dutch painters of the 17th century. He lived and worked in Haarlem almost his entire life. He was known for his painting technique with visible, lively brushstrokes, making his subjects appear to be in motion.
Hals was already popular in his own time. Wealthy citizens and civic guards were eager to have their portraits painted by him. But he also often portrayed ordinary people. This development started in Haarlem, among other places, and later spread throughout Holland. Artists such as Vincent van Gogh and the French Impressionists would later draw inspiration from his loose, spontaneous style.
