Portrait of an elderly man 1630

Frans Hals painted this "Portrait of an Elderly Man" using oil on canvas. The painting showcases the artist's masterful handling of his materials. Hals uses loose brushwork to capture the textures of the man’s skin, the velvet of his robe, and the crisp linen of his ruff. Oil paint allows for layering, and Hals exploits this, building up the figure with successive applications of pigment. Consider the social context: Hals lived in a time when the Dutch Republic was a major economic power, and portraiture was a booming business. The sitter’s dark clothing and elaborate ruff speak to his status as a member of the wealthy merchant class, who gained from global trade and commerce, and could afford a lavish portrait like this. Hals’s energetic brushwork adds to this impression, conveying a sense of liveliness and confidence. By focusing on the materials and the way they have been manipulated, we gain a richer appreciation of Hals’s skill and the world in which he operated.