Artwork
Portrait of a man
Portrait of a man is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Frans Hals. It dates from 1663 and is held in the collection of the Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1663, this oil painting depicts a seated gentleman rendered by the Dutch artist Frans Hals the Elder. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is presently owned by the Kunsthaus Zürich.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is shown with shoulder‑length hair, dressed in a black jacket over a white shirt, set against a muted brown backdrop. The attire and coiffure convey a modest elegance typical of affluent middle‑class men of the period.
Technique & Style
Hals employs a subtle chiaroscuro, allowing light to model the figure’s features and clothing, which adds depth and a three‑dimensional presence. The brushwork remains lively yet controlled, characteristic of his mature portraiture.
History & Provenance
Frans Hals the Elder, active in Haarlem, was known for both commissioned portraits of wealthy burghers and more broadly marketed tronies. This particular piece entered the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains on display.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frans Hals the Elder (UK: , US: ; Dutch: ; c. 1582 – 26 August 1666) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. He lived and worked in Haarlem, a city in which the local authority of the day frowned on religious painting in places…
Portrait of a man
Portrait of a man
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a man
Portrait of Vincent Laurensz van der Vinne
Portrait of a man with long hair and a mustache
Portrait of an unknown man
Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Glove
Portrait of a man in a Yellowish-gray Jacket
Portrait of a 24-year-old man
Portrait of a man with a tassle collar holding gloves or flax
Self-Portrait