Portrait of a woman 1633

This portrait of a woman, now in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, was made by Frans Hals using oil on canvas. Hals’s virtuosity is evident in his fluid brushwork, especially noticeable in the way he has captured the shimmer of the sitter’s black silk dress. Consider the social context: This was the Dutch Golden Age, a time of burgeoning trade and prosperity. The painting would not only have been an exercise of artistic ability, but also a display of affluence. And it involved not only the labour of the artist, but also that of all those involved in the production of the fine garments and jewelry on display. Hals’s loose, almost slapdash technique was not always appreciated in his time. But today, we understand that his focus was on capturing the vitality of the subject, rather than adhering to more polished, academic styles. He understood that the real work of art lies in its ability to convey the spirit of a person.