Frans Hals Portraits: A Family Reunion

Frans Hals was a Dutch Golden Age portrait painter known for his family group portraiture. This exhibition is the first devoted to his family group portraiture, uniting his four family portraits with related works by the artist. The exhibition was prompted by the Toledo Museum of Arts acquisition of Frans Hals' Van Campen Family Portraiture in a Landscape and the recent conservation of Brussels Three Children of the Van Campen Family. The catalogues reunite the surviving sections of the Toledo/Brussels painting and propose a reconstruction, discussing the construction, symbolic elements, and sitters of the four compositions. It also presents new discoveries about the Van Campen family, placing them in Haarlem society of the early 1600s.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 112 pages
\n Publication date: 25 April 2019
\n Publisher: Hirmer Verlag
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Frans Hals (1582/83 – 1666) stands as one of the preeminent portrait painters of the Dutch Golden Age. This captivating exhibition marks the inaugural dedication to his remarkable family group portraiture. The show and accompanying catalogue will bring together all four of Hals's family portraits, along with related works by the artist, to explore the overarching theme of Hals's family portraiture within the broader context of his artistic oeuvre.

The impetus for this exhibition stems from the Toledo Museum of Arts' acquisition in 2011 of Frans Hals's Van Campen Family Portrait in a Landscape, as well as the recent conservation of Brussels Three Children of the Van Campen Family. These two masterpieces, originally part of a single composition, were separated for unknown reasons, likely during the late 18th or early 19th century. The catalogues aim to reunite the surviving sections of the Toledo/Brussels painting and propose a reconstruction. It delves into the construction of the four compositions, examines the symbolic elements incorporated, and sheds light on the identities of the sitters. Furthermore, the catalog presents fresh discoveries about the Van Campen family, contextualizing them within the vibrant society of Haarlem during the early 1600s.

This captivating exhibition offers a unique opportunity to delve into the world of Frans Hals, exploring his exceptional talent in capturing the essence of his subjects and his profound understanding of the Dutch Golden Age. It provides a comprehensive examination of Hals's family portraiture, shedding light on his artistic choices, techniques, and the social context in which he worked. By uniting these remarkable works of art, the exhibition fosters a deeper appreciation for Hals's legacy and his contribution to the rich tapestry of Dutch art history.

\n Weight: 682g\n
Dimension: 217 x 257 x 15 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9783777430072\n \n