Artwork
Portrait of Anna van der Aar
Portrait of Anna van der Aar is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Frans Hals. It dates from 1626 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
This work pairs with her husband’s portrait, both made to sit side by side.
Frans Hals painted Anna van der Aar’s portrait in oil on wood in 1626. It hangs today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This work pairs with her husband’s portrait, both made to sit side by side.
Hals was famous for quick, lively brushwork. That loose style shines in the way light plays across Anna’s face. The painting feels fresh despite its age.
Look next at the museum’s other Dutch Golden Age portraits.
Overview
This oil painting, Portrait of Anna van der Aar, was created by the Dutch Golden Age artist Frans Hals in 1626. Executed on a wood panel, it currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The artwork is conceived as a companion piece, designed to be displayed alongside a portrait of her husband, the writer Petrus Scriverius, forming a pair.
Technique & Style
Frans Hals was renowned for his distinctive, energetic brushwork, a characteristic evident in this portrait. The artist's loose application of paint captures the play of light across Anna van der Aar's features, imbuing the work with a sense of spontaneity and immediacy. This dynamic approach to painting contributes to the portrait's enduring vitality, making it appear fresh despite its age and historical context.
Subject & Meaning
Anna van der Aar's likeness is presented here as part of a traditional pairing, common for married couples in the Dutch Golden Age. Her portrait was intended to be displayed as a pendant to that of her husband, Petrus Scriverius, a notable writer of the era. This convention allowed for the simultaneous representation of both individuals, emphasizing their marital union and social standing through complementary artistic works.
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…
